Set Your Heart on the Higher Gifts
by Emmalicious
Summary: "Liesel, there's nothing that would make me ever want to hurt you." Bilbo said, as he held her face in his hands. She didn't say anything. "You know that, right?" She stared at him. "Do you?" On her father's birthday, and after a huge fight with her mother, Liesel Hayward went to Bilbo Baggins for any kind of help. What happened on that April night, she never expected.
1. Into the Woods

**Happy Halloween everyone! Yes, I have FINALLY started possibly one of my most favorite fanfics I could be writing. And if you`re new, you may or may not be asking "But Emma, why are you writing another** _ **Hobbit**_ **story?" That my friend is, well, I had written one back when I was 11. Oh boy. If it`s not there, be happy; I wouldn't want you to die from a cringe overdose, now would I? Hahaha, I`ll let the door hit me on the way out.**

 **But seriously, yes it was the worst I`ve ever written, and yes I have now re-read the book and re-watched the movies, but the main reason is because I have actually finished reading the book at my school. A funny story real quick, my grade actually watched the first 10 minutes of the animated version, and they had absolutely no idea what was going on! Of course, having my sister forcing me to watch it when I was younger, I was unfazed. Alright! Enough of my monologuing, I don`t honestly know if I`ll update much during November, because I am already participating in the NaNoWriMo. But, I will do what I can.**

 **To everyone going out: Stay Safe!**

 **Cast:**

 **MAIN: Liesel- Willow Shields.**

 **SIDE: Briar- Brie Larson.**

* * *

It was a quiet, yet sunny April morning, but a slight breeze in the wind too. This was, and still is, Bilbo Baggins` perfect weather. It is the perfect weather to perhaps read a good book on the hearth, or smoke a few rings from his pipe in his garden in front the Hobbit Hole. The hole was not like any house or shelter you would imagine a man or even elf would have. It is a comfy hole built in a small hill, and furnished with whatever the owner had brought with them when they had moved or purchased if it is their first home.

The door on each house in The Shire is perfectly rounded, like a porthole; with a shiny brass or copper, or if you are extremely rich, gold knob in the exact middle. The door opens to a tube-shaped hall like tunnel: an extremely comfortable tunnel without smoke, with paneled walls, and floors tiled and carpeted. Also Mr. Baggins was provided with polished chairs and many pegs for hats and coats. He was very fond of any of his neighbors visiting. But, many years after this story, he would rather spend his age of staying locked in his home, all by himself, besides only a few selective people you will come to meet in this story, or another.

Two of those selective people are Briar and Liesel Hayward, mother and daughter. Around this time, Liesel must be 20 years old; to which is the equivalent of a young 13 year old girl in man`s years. The young child lived in refusal for eight years in man`s time. The family had been having income troubles, so the man of the house, her father Ferris, had kissed his wife and daughter goodbye and planned to travel all of Middle-Earth to find at least a single job to support his family. He had promised both of them he would write to them once a week and return after two years, no matter if he had found a job or not. It had been an extra five for her and her mother.

As the weeks went by, slowly and slowly, his letters decreased in quality and quantity. The last letter they had gotten before the true tale began was six months ago; and they were just like all the others. For the expected two years, he had always signed it ' _Love, father and husband'._ But for the seldom rest, he had used his birth name.

On this particular day in April, Bilbo had decided on resting outside of his Hobbit hole, and sit on his lawn chair and smoke on his pipe instead of isolating himself in his home and reading.

He must have been the most relaxed and joyed hobbit in all of Hobbiton, because it had surprised him greatly on the inside when he heard a noise swoosh in front of him and it seemed that his own smoke had made its way into his nose. He opened his soothing eyes and stared up at the tall man before him.

A fairly lofty man stood right in front of him, carrying a simple wooden staff. He had a tall pointed grey hat, a long cloak of the same color, a silver scarf over which his long, white beard hung down below his waist and his immense black boots.

Bilbo had almost stuttered out his first words to the stranger "Good morning," he then drew his face to the ground

"What do you mean?" Bilbo pulled his face back up to him.

"Do you mean to wish me a good morning, or do you mean that it is a good morning whether I want it or not? Or, perhaps you mean to say that you feel good on this particular morning. Or are you simply stating that this is a morning to be good on?"

Bilbo held his mouth open for a second, than closed it. "All of them at once, I suppose."

The stranger stared at him for a few seconds. This bewildered Bilbo. He had turned on his chair, tempted to up and leave right there, but the miniature Tookish side in him asked "Can I help you?"

"That remains to be seen. I`m looking for someone, to share in an adventure."

Bilbo`s pipe had almost been dropped out of his hand, but had successfully slipped out of his mouth. "An adventure? Never in my days _."_ He had thought.

His two parents were major opposites, on his mother`s side, Belladonna Took and her family were the most adventurous and self-confident hobbits you would ever meet, if you had the chance. But his father`s relatives were the ones he had inherited the most characteristics.

His father`s side were the homely Baggins`s. Never late for dinner, never staying out past curfew, and almost every never you could write a book about. They were humble and pleasant hobbits, if I have to say so myself.

"An adventure?" He had finally said after his inner thoughts. "Now, I don't imagine anyone west of Bree would have much interest in adventures." He had pointed to his right with his pipe, then stood up and walked to his mailbox. "Nasty, disturbing, uncomfortable things. Make you late for dinner, hm, and mm." He opened up and collected the mail and searched through the letters, moving quicker as he kept looking up from them.

He had gotten tired of this stranger`s staring and began to turn around and walk up his stairs to the porch. "Good morning,"

"To think that I should have lived to be good morninged by Belladonna Took's son, as if I were selling buttons at the door."

Bilbo had frozen I his place and slightly turned his head at the mention of his mother`s name. How would this stranger know about her?

Bilbo had been taken so aback by his remark, it took him a few seconds to find the right words "Beg your pardon?"

"You've changed, and not entirely for the better, Bilbo Baggins."

"I'm sorry, do I know you?"

"Well, you know my name, although you don't remember I belong to it. I'm Gandalf! And Gandalf means … me."

It didn't take Bilbo as long to remember this man`s name "Gandalf...not Gandalf, the wandering Wizard, who made such excellent fireworks! Old Took used to have them on Midsummer's Eve. Ha, ha! Well. Hmm, I had no idea you were still in business."

"And where else should I be?" Gandalf had given him a questioning stare.

"Ha, ha! Hm, hmm..." Bilbo puffed confusedly on his pipe.

"Well, I'm pleased to find your remember something about me, even if it's only my fireworks.

Well that's decided. It will be very good for you, and most amusing for me. I shall inform the others."

Bilbo had been taken aghast by this "Inform the who? What? No. No. No! Wait. We do not want any adventures here, thank you. Not today, notmm. I suggest you try over the Hill or across the Water." He tried to give a shooing motion, and turned to go back into the home, but without one last "Good morning."

Once inside, he bolted the door and leaned against it. Hearing a curious noise, he put his ear close to the door. The noise is from Gandalf drawing a glowing symbol on Bilbo's door with his staff.

Alarmed, Bilbo looks out his side window, only to find Gandalf's eye appear in front of him! He jumped back in fright and hid behind a wall. He looked out another window and saw Gandalf hurrying away.

* * *

It was the same quiet April day for the Hayward`s Hobbit hole. That it, until Liesel woke up. She had slept in for a few extra hours and had missed breakfast, so there was her mother busily cooking her only daughter an exuberant amount of second breakfast.

Liesel had rolled herself, literally, out of her bed and tossed off her sleeping gown and pulled on a white, short sleeved blouse, and green skirt that just went past her knees.

She had moved to her calendar on her nightstand and reached for the red crayon she had used to mark off another day. She was about to, when she saw 'Papa`s birthday!' written in blue on the date of that day.

Her eyes had the instantly perked up and a sparkle that had been hidden reached out. She dropped the crayon onto the floor and rushed out of the room, her bare feet, with an average amount of hair beginning to grow, brushed the carpets with that familiar childhood feel.

"Did you get the mail?" She asked eagerly to her mother, who was still cooking.

"Not yet," Briar had responded weakly. She was the complete opposite of Liesel`s hopefulness for Ferris coming home.

A wide smile appeared on Liesel`s face as she ran out and pulled the hatch of the mailbox open. She glanced up and saw her neighbor across the road in her rocking chair.

Now, Mrs. Shaw was a poor, elderly widow, and had perhaps the worst attitude a hobbit could have. But Liesel was in a jubilant mood, so instead of scowling or completely ignoring her like usual, she flashed a smile her way. "Morning, Mrs. Shaw."

The old lady scoffed and pointed to her with a boney, long finger "You don`t say "Morning," you say "GOOD morning!" The young hobbit just smiled and swiped the letters out and sprinted back in without closing the hatch.

"Forgot to close it again," Her mother said without making eye contact while cutting various vegetables.

"I`ll do it later," Liesel said without thinking and began searching through several envelopes.

Briar turned her head towards her daughter " _Now,"_ She hissed.

She let out a groan and rolled her eyes as she set the notes down on the coffee table and opened the front door and slammed the hatch shut. "Good day, Mrs. Shaw." She mumbled under her breath.

Mrs. Shaw put her slim hand to her ear "What did you say you ugly girl? Speak up!"

Liesel then marched back in to search for a particular letter.

She continued her search, and then searched again. "This can`t be right, is the mailer drunk again?" She turned her head and asked her mom.

"Doubt it; he probably just didn't want to write, again." He mother grumbled at the end.

"Who, the mailer?" Liesel cocked her head.

"No, your-." Briar began, until Liesel interrupted her.

"Oh wait!" She pulled a stool from beside the sofa and brought it to the edge of the hearth, stood on it, grabbed a clump of multiple letters secured by a rubber band, and opened the first one in the stack.

She opened it up, and began to read. If you asked her to recite every letter word for word, she`d pass with flying colors.

This is what the letter had read:

 _Dearest child and wife,_

 _I apologize for not returning to you in the two years I promised, it has just been so difficult finding even the tiniest job. I solemnly swear I will come back to the Shire, at the most, in half a year._

 _I would like to give my regrets for not being able to attend your days of birth and holiday, including Yuletide. I am greatly apologetic for missing your special days especially, Liesel. When I make it home, I will spend the rest of my days making it up to you._

 _I shall return near my birthday if I am correct. I am still hoping the both of you remember my favorite flavor. If you don`t, then I guess it`ll be a grand guessing game for you to play. I long for the day I return._

 _With love, Ferris._

Liesel had the exact same smile she always had when she ever read his past letters. She set the message back in the plane envelope, and wrapped it back up with the stack of them. She looked back up to her mother, who had finished her cookery and was just starting to place the silverware and setting the table.

"We still have blueberries, right?" She asked.

"We should," her mother said, once again, staring continuously at her task. Liesel was about to press forward and begin baking her father`s cake, but took a small glance at her mother and the food she prepared. She swallowed her pride and ate with her mother, which brought a sincere grin to Briar`s face as they ate.

When they had ate until they could no more, Liesel pulled herself out of her chair and helped her mother with cleaning up the dishes and the overall kitchen. She then had taken the ingredients from the cabinets and ice box she would need, and began mixing them together to form a tiny treat.

Her mother had simply shrugged her shoulders and decided to let her little girl bake in peace, and did the simple tasks she did every day; tidy up the house, run to the market, offer herself for any tasks that needed to be done for money in exchange, and of course had lovely small chats with her friends and neighbors.

By the time she had come home from working as a waitress at the Green Dragon, the local and most popular pub, Liesel had just taken the diminutive cake right out of the cooker and placed it on the dining table for it to cool.

"Hey, it looks like it came out good." Briar walked beside her and placed a hand on her shoulder, smiling.

"Yes, I think papa`s going to be very-well pleased with it." Liesel responded and looked up at Briar, a satisfied smile on the girl`s face.

Her mother bit her tongue not to lose her grin and speak to her about the chances of her father coming back. She already had, trust me, but Liesel had the fire of her mother, she just would never listen.

"You know, we should have a slice right after it cools down, then the blueberries will be extra creamy, and it won`t be stale when we eat it after supper." He mother said with just a hint of phony cheerfulness.

The child`s smile fell, then shook her head. "Nah, let`s eat it when pa`s back, it won`t be that bad."

Briar started to open her mouth to persuade her daughter once more, but closed it and said "Fine, suite yourself." Then spun around to the bookshelf and took her favorite book from off the shelf. _An Adventurer`s Guild_ I believe it was called.

Liesel turned her face away from her mother`s tense figure and back to the small, piping hot treat. "Something`s missing," She thought to herself and forwarded her eyes and focused on the solely on the cake.

"Let`s see," She began to think again "Blueberries, check. Extra sugar, check. Little bit of chocolate, check. What could I be missing?"

She thought once more until she remembered. "Candles and matches!" She accidently yelled aloud. Briar looked up from her literature and at her daughter "What?"

"Candles and matches, that`s what we`re missing!" A gleeful smile appeared on Liesel`s face.

Briar stood up from the sofa "Liesel, we don`t need candles."

"But it`s his birthday."

"That doesn't matter," Briar`s voice began to rose "they`re too expensive!"

"They are not!" Liesel glared.

Her mother let out a harsh breath "Well they`re meaningless, it`d be a waste of good money."

"I`ll buy them," Liesel spoke.

There was a slight pause of thought for both of them, then Briar rolled her eyes and sighed. "Alright fine, knock yourself out."

A bright smile appeared on the happy girl`s face. "Thanks mum!" She rushed passed her mother and grabbed her coin purse out of her room, then gave her mother a quick kiss on the cheek, and was off.

* * *

Bilbo had completely forgotten that he was running low on fish when he had assumed he had nothing else important to do on that April morning, which had turned into noon quicker than he expected, he had counted miscellaneous things in his plentiful Hobbit hole.

He had finished counting buttons on all of his shirts, when he had moved onto the pantry. Ten breadboxes full of loaves, three chunks of whole cheese, five bottles for each wine he owned, but no salmon.

He was hesitant to even step a single toe out of his safe haven, but mustered up the courage and put on a new, blue fleece, grabbed a wooden basket that`s was beginning to fall apart, and stepped out his door, looking behind him all the way to the market.

When he had finally reached the Shire`s joyful market, carpenters were building new furniture, tailors were creating shoes, chefs were serving customers, parents were trying their best to keep their children distracted with games, and other exuberant hobbit minding their own business and money.

Bilbo had stopped at the fisherman`s booth and payed the man and took the salmon quicker than an owl finding prey. He still checked behind him every second of the way, and started walking backwards in pure paranoia.

He heard a few small shouts coming from behind him and turned around to see Liesel at the candle maker, snatching a rag doll from a few young boys an gave it back to a little girl, she hugged the doll.

Liesel talked to the small ones for a few moments, than they left to continue playing pirates.

"Oh hello Bilbo!" Liesel said with her best delighted tone and facial when she looked up.

"Ah, hello to you too Liesel, what are you doing here?" He asked her.

Bilbo and Liesel had, quite amusingly, known each other for a few years. They did live in a close distance from each other, four other Hobbit hole`s down to be exact. Their first meeting was quite comedic, and though she had gotten into trouble and was quite bitter to him at first glance, they had become fine acquaintances and would say "Hi," and "Hello," anytime they had passed by each other, and she would, from time to time, water his flowers and trees for him if he ever forgot.

"Not much, I just needed candles."

"What`s the occasion?"

"My pa`s coming home today."

He forced a small smile on his face "Is that so?"

She nodded with a smile you couldn't wipe off.

He remembered what Gandalf had said to him earlier that day, and his paranoia grew once again "I-I don`t suppose you`ve seen a wizard beyond these parts?" He stuttered.

She cocked her eyebrow up at him, and halted the little one that tugged on her arm forever "A wizard? Bilbo, I believe you have spent too much time in your hole- what are you doing?" She asked as he hid himself behind her when he spotted a tall, grey hat approaching him. Or, what he thought was one.

It had come around the corner and revealed itself to be a basket full of pillows and blankets. She had turned back around and saw Bilbo scurry across the bridge. She shook her head with a grin.

She had gone back home, and Briar wasn't there. She found a note on the mantle, telling her that her mother left to Farmer Maggot`s farmstead to help him and his wife tend to the crops, or any other thing they needed help with.

"May Valar protect her soul from him," she giggled at her thought. She placed the candles on the birthday cake and stared at them with the biggest smile on her face, then recalled that her father could arrive any minute now! She flew onto the seat closets to the front widow and never drew her enlarged eyes from it; until she fell asleep after three hours of nothing to report on.

* * *

The shrill sound of the front door slamming awoke her from her nap.

"Pa?!" She shouted.

"No!" Briar`s voice echoed in annoyance. Liesel stood up from the seat and walked over to her mother, who practically fell onto a dining chair, hiding her head in her hands.

"Are you okay?" Liesel asked hesitantly.

Briar took her hands away from her face and glared at her daughter "Yes Liesel, I cut my hands on a stupid letter opener," She showed the palm of her left hand, tied in cloth with blood seeking through "My skirt is the heaviest thing in the entire universe, so I was sweating like a damn pig, and some stupid child ran into the weed killer, and spilled it all on the corn! Yes Liesel, I am the happiest woman in the world."

The little girl`s fingers were slightly shaking, but her posture overall was frozen.

"W-well, how about we have the cake like you said-?"

"Oh why such a change of heart? I thought you were saving it for papa?" Briar mocked in her frazzled stage.

Liesel had had enough. "Well, if you`d just be happy for once in your life, pa would be here right now!" The light brunette covered her mouth in shock of what just came out of her lips.

"Oh, oh, now you think it`s my fault?! Well you want to know a fun fact? He`s not even a hundred miles of the Shire. He`s in another town, drunk as all hell, sleeping with his whore!"

Liesel stood frozen in place. Her mother had never said anything like that to anyone, especially her father. Yes, she did complain from time to time about him being gone, but she would quickly stop.

Liesel`s eyes pricked with tears, but was still fuming with anger "How could you say that?!"

"Because it is true!"

"No it`s not, will you open your eyes?! He still cares, you just don`t want to see it!"

Her mother raised her hands to her hairs and grabbed clumps of them and turned her back to her daughter "Please, just stop! You`re in denial!"

"And you just care about nobody but yourself!" Even with what she said, Liesel was shocked at what she told her mother.

The strained mother had completely lost control for just a mere second. She whipped around and slapped her daughter right across the left cheek, and caused her daughter to fall to her knees in shock, and impact.

Briar froze and stared down at her hand that hit her daughter, than her daughter herself. Liesel hadn't bothered to hold back the tears and stared at her mother. She had meant for it to be cold, but instead it was pitiful.

"Oh no, Liesel, I-!" Her mom tried to spit it out, but Liesel didn't want to listen again. She got up, slammed the purple door open, then shut, and ran away from her home. No, she couldn't even call it that. "Liesel wait! I didn't mean to, I`m sorry!"

She sprinted down the road, pushing past anyone coming in her way. Most just stared at her and were slightly concerned what she could be so upset over, and a few, including some of the "higher class" hobbits scoffed at her and shouted in her ear "Watch where you`re going!"

She hadn't notice a root sticking out of the ground, until she stumbled over it and rolled down the small hill. Thankfully, a river that would go up to her ankles caught her fall. When she had stood herself up, all of her clothes were sodden and a moderate amount of mud was covered on her chest and skirt.

Pulling herself back onto the surface, she made quiet sobs. She had to go to someone for help. But who?

* * *

He heard the fish sizzling in the pan over the fire as he set a small basket of bread on the table for one, then gathered his plate and scooped the fish out of the burning pan and onto his plate. He let out a small sigh from the wonderful smell, then set plate on the table and was ready to eat, when-.

 _Ring._

He looked up from his meal and turned his head to his door. He got up from his seat and answered it. Outside was a shivering, soaked, chilled to the bone little girl a few inches shorter than him, and a tear-stricken face.

He squinted his eyes, just to be sure it was who he suspected. "Liesel?" Her nod was stiff and a few tears fell from her eyes.

Bilbo remembered how chilly it could get on April nights, even if the day was warm. "Come, come in, you`ll catch a cold if you`re out there." He stepped out of the way for her to enter in the cozy, safe Hobbit hole. She stepped in and a small sigh of relief escaped her lips.

"Now, won`t you tell me why you`re covered from head to toe in mud and water?" He urged.

She stared at the floor, then back at him, "No way I`m getting out of this," she thought to herself.

"I fell,"

"You fell?"

She nodded. "In the river, I tripped."

He tried to let out a quiet sigh, but Liesel, unfortunately, heard it, but she kept her mouth shut.

The hobbit grabbed a knitted blanket out of a small box in the living room, and handed it to her.

She reached out and took it, but didn't wrap it around herself. "I`m sorry," she whispered.

"What? No, there`s nothing to be sorry for." He tried to muster his best words. Even though she was the closest thing to a child, they hadn't been speaking much, so he lost his train of thought on how to speak to children; or others for that matter.

She hesitated again with the blanket, but unfolded it and wrapped it around her small figure. He smiled a small grin to attempt to cheer her up. This was the most unusual day he had in years. A wizard he had long forgotten showed up on his doorstep and offered him an adventure, and a little girl he hadn't had a lengthy conversation with in a long time came to him for help.

He shook his head as he led Liesel to the kitchen and sat her down near the fire for her to warm up. "Be thankful that this will be the limit of peculiar for today, Bilbo." He said in his mind.

"What happened?" He asked and sat across from her.

She shrugged her shoulders. It was obvious she didn't want to tell him just yet.

He sighed again "Well, that`s alright." There was slightly uncomfortable silence as he was pondering other things to say to either comfort her, or get the truth out.

 _Ring._

Bilbo and Liesel`s eyes fell on the door. Bilbo had assumed she hadn't eaten yet and stood up from his chair and made his way to the pantry. "Can you please get that?" He asked as he searched.

She walked towards the door and gently turned the hatch and opened the door.

It was a dwarf. Long beard, bald held, completely towering over her, staring at something. He noticed the door opened and turned to the little girl.

"Dwalin. At your service." He bowed without breaking eye-contact.

He mouth trembled as she tried to get words out of it. But, she turned her head swiftly to the pantry.

"Bilbo!"


	2. Greet Them Gaily

**Oh my gosh. Oh. My Gosh. It`s December 4th. I`m free! I`m free! Oh my gosh, I am SO sorry I haven't updated in forever! I`ve just been so busy with everything, and finals are coming up. Ugh! Well, I`ll try my best, per usual, and update as much as I can. Oh, and I forgot to mention I`m also using a few aspects from the book, but I`ll mostly be using the movie. And, oh my gosh, 3 reviews, 8 followers, and 8 favorites, already! Thank you guys so so much!**

* * *

Bilbo turned his head at Liesel`s sudden call for him. He sighed and marched out of his pantry to confront the girl, and whoever was at the door.

"Liesel, what could you possibly-?" He grumbled until he reached his door, and looked up to see a dwarf on his doorstep, staring in between the two hobbits. Bilbo jumped just a slight bit, and couldn't help but let out a tiny yelp.

The tall, brooding dwarf furrowed his eyes in confusion just a bit, and bowed again "Dwalin, at your service." He repeated.

Shell shocked, Bilbo let out a noise like a whimper. Coming to his senses, he quickly tied his robe tighter and stood taller, although he was still confused as ever. "Bilbo Baggins, at yours."

The dwarf walked right into the warm home, without any invitation. Liesel attempted to show, at least, a threatening glare to him; but she was still quite thrown off at the mysterious dwarf.

"D-do we know each other?" Bilbo stuttered as the dwarf came in.

He looked right at him "No," he answered succinctly. "Which way is it, lassie? Is it down there?" He questioned to Liesel.

She perked her head up to look at him "Huh?"

"Supper." Dwalin dumped some of his gear on the ground and thrusts the rest onto Bilbo "He said there`d be lots of it." The dwarf walks off to find the kitchen.

"H-He said? Who said?" Bilbo turned his head to look at the equally confused girl right next to him. She knew just as much as him; she shrugged her shoulders.

Dwalin sat at Bilbo's spot on the kitchen table, eating Bilbo's dinner, while Bilbo and Liesel sat behind him, confused. Dwalin ate all the flesh from the fish, then ate the head as well, as Bilbo looked on in disgust, Liesel couldn't help but stare at the odd eating.

"Mmmm. … Very good, this. Anymore?" The dwarf turned to face the two

"What? Uh, oh, yes, yes" Bilbo stuttered and grabbed a basket full of biscuits, then brought it to him. "Ah."

"Help yourself." Bilbo put on a fake smile; he hurriedly hid one behind his back for Liesel. Dwalin began stuffing the rest in his mouth. The hobbit showed the food behind his back to the girl. When it finally caught her eye, she shook her head. They kept having the silent argument for a few seconds, until with a roll of his eyes, Bilbo gave up and kept the biscuit.

The elder hobbit struggled to get the words out of his mind, and out of his lips "It's just that, um, I wasn't expecting company."

At that moment, the bell rung again, and the two Halflings looked up in alarm, the youngest still clutching the blanket around her.

"That'll be the door." The two had almost forgotten it hadn't just been them in the room.

So they opened the door again, with Liesel deciding she didn't need the cover anymore, and threw it into the same box. The ringer revealed to be another Dwarf this time to have a small resemblance of Father Christmas, and had a red hood, opposed to Dwalin, who had green.

"Balin, at your service." He did a petite bow, and rose up to look at the hosts again.

"Thank you, good evening." Bilbo said, trying to hide the overwhelming hesitance in his voice.

"Yes, yes it is, though it might rain later." The dwarf looked up to where, Liesel assumed, the moon was. This dwarf also strode into the Hobbit Hole without being asked in

"Am I late?" He looked up to the frazzled pair.

"Late for what?" Bilbo stuttered again.

"Oh!" escaped Balin`s mouth, as he saw the other dwarf shaking a jar, attempting to get more biscuits. The two meet eyes then walk towards each other.

"Ha ha! Evening, brother. Heh, heh."

"Oh, by my beard, you are shorter and wider than last we met." Dwalin laughed.

"Wider, not shorter. Sharp enough for both of us." Balin replied.

Laughing again, they greeted each other amicably. Putting their arms on each other's shoulders, they smashed their foreheads together. Bilbo and Liesel looked on in wonder.

Finally, Bilbo spoke up, while Liesel remained silent like a mouse again "Uh, excuse me; Sorry, I hate to interrupt, ah, but the thing is, I'm not entirely sure you're in the right house."

Ignoring Bilbo, Dwalin and Balin have gone into Bilbo's pantry, where they were pouring ale and examining the food. As they talked to each other, Bilbo continued his speech.

"Have you eaten?" Dwalin asked his brother

"It's not that I don't like visitors; I-I like visitors as much as the next Hobbit, but I do like to know them before they come visiting." Bilbo continued.

The two dwarfs, still not listening to Bilbo, rifled through his pantry. "Ah, that looks very nice indeed." Balin commented on a piece of food, he picked up a lump of cheese.

"What's this?" Dwalin took it away.

"I don't know, I think it`s cheese."

"The thing is, um" Bilbo stuttered some more.

"It's gone blue." Balin pointed out.

"It's riddled with mold."

"The thing is, um," Bilbo began again "I-I don't know either of you-." Dwalin chucked the cheese he was holding behind him, near Bilbo and Liesel.

"-not in the slightest. I don't mean to be blunt, but I uh, but I had to speak my mind. I'm sorry." He threw his hands in the air.

The two dwarves pause and look at the Hobbits, Bilbo cleared his throat.

There was a small silence, until Balin said with a smile "Apology accepted."

Bilbo scoffed.

"Ah, now fill it up, brother, don't stint. I could eat again, if you insist." Balin placed the mug back on the platter.

Liesel rolled her eyes slightly and turned to Bilbo "Bilbo, when I said that you needed to get out more, I didn't mean meet the first dwarf you see!"

Bilbo couldn't believe his ears at this! "Excuse me, didn't you just listen right now?! I don`t know-!" They were cut off by another _Ring!_ at the door. They both slowly turned their heads to the door.

Bilbo and Liesel opened it to find two young dwarves. Upon seeing them, Bilbo made a small noise which sounded like a moan.

"Fili." The one with a yellow beard in many braids and a blue hood said.

"And Kili." The seemingly younger one with long, black hair and a matching blue hood also said.

"At your service." They bowed in unison.

"You must be Mr. Boggins." Kili mispronounced with a wry smile.

"Nope, you can't come in, you've come to the wrong house!" Bilbo tried closing the door, but Kili stopped it with his foot, and then pushed it slightly open. "What? Has it been cancelled?"

"No one told us." His brother said.

"Cancel? No, nothing`s been cancelled!" Liesel spoke sharply.

"Well, that's a relief." He moved his foot out of the door and pushed the door wide open, and they let themselves in too.

Before Bilbo could send a seemingly warning scowl to the little one, the dwarves that just entered pushed equipment onto Bilbo.

"Careful with these, I just had 'em sharpened." Fili warned.

"It's nice, this place. D'you you do it yourself?" The younger one treaded around some of the room. Kili started to scrape the mud off his boots on the edge of a chest standing nearby.

"Ah, no, it's been in the family for years-." Bilbo notices the dwarf damaging the chest "That's my mother's glory box, can you please not do that?!"

Liesel turned to face Bilbo "You`re not doing it right." She turned back to Kili, still scraping the mud off. "Oi!" and walked towards him, placing a tiny hand on his leg.

"foot off the box, or you lose it."

Bilbo heard her remark, and turned his head sharply to her "Liesel!"

She turned her head "What? You wanted me to do something."

He opened his mouth to say something, but was interrupted by Fili laying more weapons on his arms.

"Ah, it`s alright Mr. Boggins. You`re little girl has a fiery temper, that`s for sure." Kili gave the younger hobbit a wry grin.

"No!" The two hobbits turned their heads and shouted in unison.

"She-she`s not my daughter. She`s just- a friend." Bilbo stammered.

"Fili, Kili, come on, give us a hand." Dwalin had come from another room and led the two to it.

Kili smiled as the other dwarf led him into the larger dining room "Mr. Dwalin."

"Let's shove this in the hallway, otherwise we'll never get everyone in." Balin explained. The dwarves prepared to shift Bilbo's furniture around to create a feasting area.

"Everyone?!" Bilbo and Liesel yelled in unison again. "How many more are there?" Bilbo asked this time.

"Where do you want this?" Either Fili or Kili asked, I can`t quite remember.

The doorbell rang very hard and longer than before. Bilbo, "Oh no. No, no! There's nobody home!" He started to walk away from the other dwarfs, leaving Liesel to fend for herself.

Bilbo threw the swords and other weapons to the ground in anger. "Go away, and bother somebody else. There's far too many dwarves in my dining room as it is."

"Bilbo," Liesel`s voice echoed as she tried the others to top fiddling with the furniture "if you say 'Nobody`s home!' then they know there is!"

Bilbo cringes, and becomes more frazzled "Not now Liesel!" He turned back to the door "If-if this is some clotterd's idea of a joke, ha ha! I can only say, it is in very, poor taste!" He pulled the door opened, and out fell multiple other dwarves! They all yelled and whined at each other to 'Get off!'

Bilbo looked up from the pile of dwarves to see a tall, grey coated figure. The figure leaned his head down, and revealed to be Gandalf! The hobbit said the wizard`s name in a weary tone

The dwarves that had fallen on the ground instantly stood themselves up and began to crowd almost entirely around the hole, exploring the little home, touching all the knick-knacks, and especially raiding the whole pantry!

"No, no, no, no!" Bilbo tried his best to stop most of the dwarves from breaking anything valuable; which was everything. He placed his hands on the side of his head, and gripped his curly hair in them, then turned to the staring Liesel, obviously not knowing exactly what to do.

"Liesel," Bilbo began, throwing in a hint of a fake tone, and walked to her, losing his hands "can you please, please, stop these dwarves from breaking anything?"

She squinted her eyes up at him "And, where are you going?" she asked, almost seemingly knowing he was leaving for a minute.

"I-I only need a minute, to clean myself up." He excused at the end.

She sighed. She was tempted to say another retort to him, but since he`s the only reason why she hasn't been kicked out yet-. She nodded.

A genuine smile appeared on the elder hobbit`s face. "Thank you," he turned back around and skipped back to another room.

Liesel turned around and let out a heavier sigh. "Now how am I going to do this?" she asked herself. She sighed again, and decided to start off with the pantry.

She walked in to find it no better than the rest of the hole. There were many 'Take this one,' 'I hate the taste of that!' and 'Where`s the beer?!' coming from the tiny room.

"Hey, hey give me that!" Liesel attempted to take a whole chicken out of an immensely fat ad heavy dwarf named Bombur. The dwarf ignored her and kept walking.

Soon, a line of dwarfs formed to be stealing multitudes of food. There was a dwarf just a bit shorter than the others that Liesel could thankfully reach.

"What are you-?!" She hissed and turned him around, to reveal an axe sticking right out of his head! The dwarf spoke something incoherent to the young girl in a daze, and pointed to the sharp object in his forehead.

"He`s got… an injury lassie," Liesel slightly turned her head around and saw a hearing impaired dwarf named Oin.

"What, you mean the axe in his head?" The young hobbit questioned with sarcasm.

Oin raised his hearing trumpet to his right ear "Dead? No, only between the ears; his legs work fine!" The dwarf walked off, only leaving her more confused.

The moment the dwarf left, Bilbo walked to Liesel`s side and smiled down at her. "Well, she didn't exactly stop them, well, she tried." He thought, then saw her partially frazzled face.

"Are you alright?" He cocked his head onto one of his shoulders.

After staring at supposedly nothing for a few more seconds, she looks up at him. "I-I have no idea." She stammered.

He was still looking down at her "Liesel-." He was interrupted by a heart wrenching crack. They both stopped standing in the middle of the crowd of dwarves, and rushed back to the pantry entrance. They had forgotten all of the dwarves still raiding the food.

"Those are my plates! Excuse me! Not my wine!" Bilbo shouted, Liesel tried again to take the food items out of the dwarves` filthy hands.

"Put that back. Put that back! Not the jam, please! ...Excuse me." Bilbo continued to attempt halting the men carrying the food, and even a few furniture pieces and trinkets!

The two saw Bombur walking out of the pantry with three entire wheels of cheese! "Excuse me. A tad excessive, isn't it? Have you got a cheese knife?" Bilbo asked, nervously pulling on one of his suspenders.

"Cheese knife? He eats it by the block." Bofur chuckled, carrying more ham out.

Liesel snapped her head around when her sharp ears heard slight creaking, and saw Oin and Gloin walking through the hall carrying chairs from one of Bilbo's rooms.

The girl tapped on Bilbo`s shoulder. He turned to her, she pointed to the two dwarves taking the chairs.

"No, no, that's Grandpa Mungo's chair! No, I'm sorry, you'll have to take it back please. Take it

back...It's antique, not for sitting on! Thank you! That's a book, not a coaster. Put that map down, thank you."

Oin pointed to his ear on his right, mumbling something. "He can`t hear what you`re saying." Liesel was right next to Bilbo, and told him.

The dwarves continued bringing all of Bilbo's food and furniture into the dining room. Dori approached Gandalf with a tray and some tea.

"Excuse me, Mr. Gandalf, can I tempt you with a nice cup of chamomile tea?" Dori asked the tall wizard.

"Oh, no thank you, Dori. A little red wine for me, I think." Gandalf walked out of the dining room, trying to avoid the scurrying dwarves. He hit his head on the chandelier, and let out a small, surprised cry; then, he began counting the dwarves on his fingers.

"Fili, Kili, Oin, Gloin, Dwalin, Balin, Bifur, Bofur, Bombur, Dori, Nori-,"

He saw Bilbo wrestling a bowl of tomatoes away from-

"Ori!" Gandalf warned to the youngest dwarf, he pulled away from the food. "Thank you," liesel hisses, and she and Bilbo wander off to the other wreckers.

Bifur, the dwarf with an axe in his head, approached Gandalf and talks to him in Khuzdul, an language unknown to us, and merely talked in body language.

"Yes, you're quite right, Bifur. We appear to be one dwarf short." Gandalf mumbled.

"He is late, is all. He travelled North to a meeting of our kin. He will come." Dwalin said, drinking from a mug.

"Mr. Gandalf?

"Hmmm?" Gandalf turned to Dori behind him.

"A little glass of red wine, as requested. It's, eh, got a fruity bouquet." He hands a small glass to the wizard.

"Ah, Cheers." Gandalf drunk the tiny cup of wine Dori offered him, then looked sadly at the cup, wanting a little more.

The dwarves, sitting in Bilbo's dining room, had a grand feast with all his food. They were, if I do say so myself, quite rude and messy about it.

"Bombur catch!" Bofur threw a piece of food to the fat dwarf across from him. Bombur catched the food in his mouth, and everyone cheered.

As everyone began throwing food around, Bilbo walked away in disgust, to the frozen Liesel staring into the pantry. He looked at her for a second, than followed her eye. He looked at his pantry in shock; it had been entirely cleared of food.

Liesel turned her head slightly around to see Fili walks on top of the table, carrying several cups of ale and knocking aside the food in his way! "Who wants an ale? There you go."

"Let him have another drink!" Dwalin pointed to Oin, harmlessly eating a plate full of meat.

Fili grinned, then poured ale into Oin`s hearing trumpet "Here you go."

As Oin spluttered in anger, everyone else laughed. Oin put his hearing trumpet to his mouth and blew the ale out of it, making it squeal.

One of the dwarves yelled, "On the count of three!" and the dwarves pounded their tankards together.

Someone counted again, "One!...Two!" Then all the dwarves went quiet and began drinking their ale together. They were incredibly messy, as ale fell all over their faces and ran down their beards. When finished drinking, they began burping. The youngest, Ori, let out the biggest belch! The dwarves laughed so hard, Liesel swears she saw ale coming out of a few of the dwarves` noses! Bilbo looked away, and scowled in disgust, but Liesel was frozen from looking away.

When the outburst finished, Liesel and Bilbo went their separate ways, of course to do the same thing; stop them at all costs.

"Oi, I`m not going to tell you again, put that down!" She hissed to Ori, shaking a jar full of shined rocks, quite enjoying the sounds. Once he saw the look on the girl`s face, he gently, but still quite shaken up, set the jar back on the mantle, then treaded away.

The girl smelled smoke, than snapped her head around to Kili, she believed, smoking a pipe "Stop that, it`s disgusting." She spoke sharply, and looked up at the dwarf, just towering over her.

A grin appeared on his face as he tugged the pipe out of his mouth "And who`s going to make me, princess?" He smirked at her mouth falling open, but tightly closing it.

"Well obviously _I_ can`t. I mean, there has to be _someone_ that can get your head out of your arse!"

His smirk grew, then put the pipe back into his mouth "Try talking to my brother."

"And, who is that?" She cocked her head to the side.

"Blonde hair, braids, easy to see from over a mile away."

"Ohhhhh." She threw herself just a bit back, acting as if it surprised her. She curved herself around to walk away and try to put a stop to the other havoc, but Kili stopped her.

"So, what`s your name, little lady?" He questioned, then chuckled when he finished.

She tensed up at the use of a name again, but took a deep breath, then let it out, and whipped her figure around to him.

"Liesel Hayward." She stuck her hand out and plastered on a big smile.

He slightly rolled his eyes up, and removed one of his hands from his pipe, and shook hers. "Kili Okenshield."

"Hm, nice ring to it." Liesel said, and they smiled at each other.

"I don`t want to get used to them!" They followed their eyes to the sound. They young hobbit sighed, and left to see what in the name of Valar was going on.

"There`s mud, trod into the carpet," he pointed all over the carpet, noticing Liesel`s bare feet on it. "They've pi-pillaged the pantry. I`m not even going to tell you what they`ve done in the bathroom, they`ve all but destroyed the plumbing-!" He rose his hands to his hair again, the turned to the girl standing to his left. "Tell him, Liesel!"

This snapped her into attention "I haven't even been-!"

"Excuse me," a quiet voice belonging to Ori stopped the two from quarreling "I`m sorry to interrupt, but what should I do with my plate?"

Before Bilbo or Liesel could speak an answer, Fili took the plate out of the youngest dwarves` palms "Here you go Ori, give it to me." He threw it right over to Kili, who caught it in the nick of time! Kili threw the plate he was holding behind his back to Bifur, and catched another one and also threw it behind.

Bifur caught the two plates without even turning around to look! Very soon, nearly all of the utensils and plates and bowls Bilbo Baggins owned were being toppled into the air, and back down again to be washed or dried. At one moment, a few of the dishes had gotten close to hitting Gandalf, so he ducked on instinct and let out a "Woah!"

"Excuse me, that`s my mother`s West Farthing crockery, it`s over a hundred years old!" Bilbo screeched and ran into the kitchen, Liesel following him. For some odd reason, a grin was beginning to form on her face.

They had both entered the kitchen and saw about four of the other dwarves sitting at a small table, clashing the silverware together, and stomping their boots to create a rhythm.

"Can-can you not do that? You will blunt them!" Bilbo scolded.

"Ooh, d'hear that, lads?" Bofur asked, teasingly, and began to sang "He says we'll blunt the knives!"

Kili joined in as more bowls and plates were being thrown "Blunt the knives, bend the forks!"

"Smash the bottles, and burn the corks!" Fili tossed one bowl on his shoulders. And all the other dwarves joined in as more anarchy happened all over the hole, and Liesel couldn't help but laugh like a little child, receiving many odd glances from Bilbo.

 _Chip the glasses and crack the plates._

 _That`s what Bilbo Baggins hates!_

 _Cut the cloth and tread the fat!_

 _Pour the milk on the pantry floor!_

 _Leave the bones on the bedroom mat!_

 _Splash the wine on every door!_

 _Dump the rocks in a boiling bowl; pound them up with a thumping pole;_

 _And when you`ve finished, if any are whole,_

 _send them down the hall to roll!_

 _So carefully, carefully, with the plates._

 _That`s what Bilbo Baggins hates!_

As the last bowl landed, Bilbo rushed into the kitchen, preparing to see a ginormous mess. But instead, he was greeted with neatly placed stacks of bowls and plates, and multiple dwarves laughing at his stressed face. Liesel couldn't help but let out the tiniest of giggles.

A sudden, harsh knock on the door quieted them.

"He is here," Gandalf was the first to speak.


	3. Thinking Out Loud

With her curiosity beginning to overflow, Liesel straight away went to open the door. Bilbo, this time, was the one following after her.

She was the very first one to stand right in front of the door, the others coming quickly. She had partially outstretched her arm to open the door up, but Gandalf beat her to it, and shoved her gently aside, opening the door

"Gandalf." Another tall, brooding dwarf was at the door. This dwarf was very haughty to say the least, as he hadn't mentioned anything about service that April night, much like the others did. This was, and still is, a very important dwarf. His name, Thorin Okenshield.

The sir had made his way into the Hobbit hole like all of the dwarves had, uninvited of course; Liesel and Bilbo were no longer surprised. "I thought you said this place would be easy to find. I lost my way, twice. Wouldn't have found it at all had it not been for that mark on the door."

"Mark? There`s no mark on that door, it was painted a week ago!" Bilbo spoke up.

"There is a mark; I put it there myself." Gandalf said, and walked out of the way so the two hobbits could take a better look at this Thorin "Bilbo Baggins, and Miss Liesel, allow me to introduce the leader of our company, Thorin Oakenshield."

The dwarf simply stared at Bilbo Baggins, up and down "So, this is the hobbit. Gandalf," He caught the wizard`s attention. "you had never told me that our burglar had a daughter."

As if he knew what the two hobbits were going to say, Gandalf interrupted "Oh, no, no, Miss Hayward is simply a family friend of Mr. Baggins."

It seemed Thorin ignored what the wizard had said, and went back to staring at both Hobbits. "Tell me, Mr. Baggins, have you done much fighting?" He asked, and treaded around him to stand near his company.

"Pardon me?" Bilbo questioned.

"Axe or sword? What is your weapon of choice?"

"Well," Bilbo began, attempting to talk up about himself "I have some skill at Conkers, if you must know, but I fail to see why that's relevant." Liesel shut her eyes tightly, and tried to pretend she was anywhere but where she was.

"Thought as much. He looks more like a grocer than a burglar." After saying that, much of the dwarves let out small chuckles, and all Liesel and Bilbo could do was slightly scowl as everyone made their way into the dining room.

"What news from the meeting in Ered Luin? Did they all come?" Balin asked, as the only ones that were standing were Liesel, Bilbo, and Gandalf.

"Aye. Envoys from all seven kingdoms." Thorin said, after he was finished eating. The dwarves murmured their joy.

"What do the dwarves of the Iron Hills say? Is Dain with us?" Dwalin asked.

Thorin shook his head "They will not come." They murmured in disappointment. "They say this quest is ours, and ours alone." Further disappointed murmurs.

"You're going on a quest?" The word accidently slipped out of Liesel`s quiet mouth.

Gandalf turned back to the two standing hobbits "Bilbo, my dear fellow, let us have a little more light."

Bilbo brings a candle to the table, where Gandalf has spread out a map which was in his pocket.

"Far to the East, over ranges and rivers, beyond woodlands and wastelands, lies a single solitary peak."

Bilbo and Liesel looked over Gandalf`s shoulder. "The Lonely Mountain." Bilbo read aloud, balancing the candle.

"Aye. Oin has read the portents, and the portents say it is time." Gloin said.

"Ravens have been seen flying back to the mountain as it was foretold: When the birds of yore return to Erebor, the reign of the beast will end."

After Oin mentioned "The Beast", Bilbo looked over in concern "Uh, What beast?"

"Well that would be a reference to Smaug the Terrible, chiefest and greatest calamity of our age. Airborne firebreather, teeth like razors, claws like meathooks, extremely fond of precious metals-."

"Yes, I know what a dragon is." Bilbo nodded and said to shut Bofur up.

Suddenly, the youngest dwarf stood up from his seat "I'm not afraid! I'm up for it. I'll give him a taste of the Dwarfish iron right up his jacksie!" Several of the dwarves shouted either encouragement or dissed the bravery. To this day, Bilbo still thinks of Liesel as Ori.

"Sit down!" Dori put the young dwarf in his place, and his seat.

Balin shook his head "The task would be difficult enough with an army behind us. But we number just thirteen, and not thirteen of the best, nor brightest."

The dwarves started objecting, saying things like, 'Hey, who are you calling dim?' 'Watch it!', and 'No!'

A slap on the table brought everyone`s attention to Fili and Kili "We may be few in number, but we're fighters, all of us, to the last dwarf!" He slapped his hand on the table again.

Kili grinned, and joined in "And you forget, we have a wizard in our company. Gandalf will have killed hundreds of dragons in his time."

"Oh, well, now, uh, I wouldn't say that, I-." For once, the Great Gandalf stuttered.

"How many, then?" Dori asked to the wizard.

"Uh, what?"

"Well, how many dragons have you killed?" Now, all attention was straight on Gandalf. He coughed in nervousness, and most of the smoke from his pipe escaped through his nose.

"Go on, give us a number!" Dori jeered again. Soon, the dwarves jumped to their feet, arguing about the number of dragons Gandalf has killed. Among the fierce arguments, Bilbo had instantly tried to stop them calmly; Liesel was but a moment away from yelling at the top of her lungs for everyone to just shut up.

Of course, Thorin was one step ahead of her.

" _Shazara!"_ That immiedatly silenced the whole room"If we have read these signs, do you not think others will have read them too? Rumors have begun to spread. The dragon Smaug has not been seen for 60 years. Eyes look east to the Mountain, assessing, wondering, weighing the risk. Perhaps the vast wealth of our people now lies unprotected. Do we sit back while others claim what is rightfully ours? Or do we seize this chance to take back Erebor?! _Du Bekâr! Du Bekâr!"_ All the dwarves cheered.

"You forget: the front gate is sealed. There is no way into the mountain." Balin shook his head.

Gandalf chuckled "That, my dear Balin, is not entirely true." Twiddling his fingers, Gandalf produced a dwarvish key, ornately wrought. Thorin, and the two hobbits looked at it in wonder.

"How came you by this?" He asked in astonishment.

"It was given to me by your father, by Thrain, for safekeeping. It is yours now." The wizard handed the key to Thorin as everyone looked on in wonder, especially little Liesel.

"If there is a key, there must be a door." Fili had pointed out.

Gandalf pointed at runes on his map with his pipe. "These runes speak of a hidden passage to the lower halls."

"There's another way in!" Kili said, joyously.

"Well, if we can find it, but dwarf doors are invisible when closed. The answer lies hidden

somewhere in this map and I do not have the skill to find it. But there are others in Middle earth who can. The task I have in mind will require a great deal of stealth, and no small amount of courage. But, if we are careful and clever, I believe that it can be done."

"That's why we need a burglar." Ori pointed, and smiled.

"Hm, A good one, too. An expert, I'd imagine." Bilbo grinned.

"And are you?" Gloin had asked.

There was a pause, as Bilbo processed what was being asked "Am I what?"

"He said he's an expert! Hey hey!" Oin raised his arms in happiness, other dwarfs laughed.

"M-me? No, no, no, no, no. I`m not a burglar; I've never stolen a thing in my life, nor do I know any who has!"

Liesel, from slightly behind him, raised her arm up. He slightly turned around, and sighed. "Never mind," he grumbled.

The dwarfs ignored the little misunderstanding, and Balin spoke up "I'm afraid I have to agree with Mr. Baggins. He's hardly burglar material." Bilbo nodded.

Dwalin turned his head up to Mr. Bilbo "Aye, the wild is no place for gentlefolk who can neither fight nor fend for themselves."

Bilbo continued nodding in agreement; the dwarves began arguing. Gandalf, growing angry, rose to his full height and cast darkness over the group and started speaking in his "powerful" voice. The others stopped in awe.

"Enough! If I say Bilbo Baggins is a burglar, then a burglar he is!" he took a deep breath, and returned to his normal self, as if nothing happened "Hobbits are remarkably light on their feet. In fact, they can pass unseen by most if they choose. And while the dragon is accustomed to the smell of dwarf, the scent of hobbit is all but unknown to him, which gives us a distinct advantage. You asked me to find the fourteenth member of this company, and I have chosen Mr. Baggins. There's a lot more to him than appearances suggest, and he's got a great deal more to offer than any of you know, including himself." He turned his head to Thorin "You must trust me on this."

Thorin bit his lip not to sigh "Very well. We will do it your way."

"No, no, no." Bilbo begged.

"Give him the contract." Thorin turned to Balin.

"Please." He continued. She didn't want to mention it, but she felt the slightest pang of sympathy for the other hobbit.

"Alright, we're off!" Bofur cheered.

Balin handed the contract to Liesel "Give this to him, will you lassie?" He politely asked.

She nodded, but before giving it to Bilbo, she opened it herself. It had nearly reached the floor, and she began to read it, forgetting her original objective. "Can I really-?"

Her thoughts were cut off when Thorin ripped the contract out of her hands, and forcefully shoved it into Bilbo`s, giving a cold glare at Liesel the entire time.

"It's just the usual summary of out of pocket expenses, time required, remuneration, funeral arrangements, so forth." Balin explained.

"Funeral arrangements?" Bilbo asked, nearly shaking.

As he steps back a few feet to read the contract, Thorin leans toward Gandalf and whispers to him. "I cannot guarantee his safety."

"Understood." Gandalf responded.

"Nor will I be responsible for his fate."

At this, Gandalf paused to think. He looked back at Bilbo, and now Liesel, reading the contract. "Agreed."

Bilbo read parts of the contract out loud. "Terms: Cash on delivery, up to but not exceeding one fourteenth of total profit, if any. Seems fair. Eh, Present company shall not be liable for injuries inflicted by or sustained as a consequence thereof including but not limited to… lacerations-?" He read it wrong. He looked closer, so did the child across from him "Evisceration?" Wrong again.

He turned to face the entire company of dwarves, "Incineration?"

"Oh, aye, he'll melt the flesh off your bones in the blink of an eye." Bofur explained.

Bilbo felt his knees start to shake just a pinch. He also felt his breathing to lessen greatly. "Huh."

"You all right, laddie?" Balin leaned forward, and asked softly.

The frazzled hobbit bended over, nauseous and pained. Liesel hesitated, but inched herself forward to stand right next to him.

"Uh, yeah...Feel a bit faint." He tried to reassure.

"Think furnace with wings." The oblivious dwarf stood up.

"Stop, please don`t." Liesel snapped her head to the standing dwarf, and tried her best to keep her tone calm.

"No, no, air, I need air." Bilbo tried his best to control his breathing.

"Flash of light, searing pain, then Poof! you're nothing more than a pile of ash."

Bilbo forced himself up, and raised a hand to steady his head and breathed heavily, trying to compose himself as the others stare at him.

"Bilbo?" Liesel softly asked and inched to him.

"Hmmm. Nope!" The poor hobbit collapsed on the floor in a faint! The poor girl nearly fell on the floor herself as his figure hit the ground.

"Ah, very helpful, Bofur." Gandalf said with, surprisingly, a hint of sarcasm. He walked to Bilbo`s body, the only thing moving was his chest up and down.

The wizard bent down and carefully took the hobbit into his arms, and tried his best to find one of the bedrooms to lay him there.

The girl looked up to the older man towering over her "Is he going to be okay?" She asked.

The wizard turned his head around just a bit, and smiled "He`ll be quite alright, my dear. Now, run along into the sitting room, and entertain our guests." He turned back to continue walking.

Instantly, she snapped her head up "And how do I do that?"

He sighed, and without turning, said "Pretend to be interested." He left.

She tried her hardest to not sigh, roll her eyes, or do anything really; she knew the old man had eyes all around his head. So, she turned to look into the dining room she assumed the dwarfs were still in, but they were all gone.

She turned her head and looked into Bilbo`s sitting room; to her surprise, only a handful of them were in there, the rest, she could even hear, were in other places of the tiny home, obviously exploring, and maybe looking for valuables. She still swears she saw Nori tucking away some of Bilbo`s eating utensils. She took a deep breath, and treaded into the room.

They had looked over at her for a mere second, then turned away, all except for two. She sat herself down on one of Bilbo`s comfy chairs, and stared off into the fireplace; well, she had clearly not thought out what she was going to do.

"Hello there." A sweet, but deep voice had caught her right ear, and she turned to see Kili, and the blonde dwarf with braids in his beards.

"Hi," she said, then instantly scolded herself for acting meek.

This only caused the brothers to grin, than sit next to her. She shifted in her seat.

"So, why are you exactly here?" Her eyes moved from one dwarf to another, trying her best to make conversation.

Kili stuck his lip out like a child, and pretended to be hurt "What? We`re not special?!"

She snapped her head to him "N-no, I did not say that!"

"I think you meant it! Didn't she, Kee?" Fili played along and looked at his brother.

"I did not say-! Why are you-?!" She had tried her best to think of a comeback, but failed miserably.

The two couldn't hold back their laughter, and had gotten quite a feeling from the little girl`s scrunched up face.

"What in Durin`s name are you two doing?" Dwalin turned and furrowed his brow at the dwarfs and hobbit.

"Nothing!" The three instantly shouted in unison.

Dwalin rolled his eyes, and gotten up from the carpet he was sitting on near the fire, and stomped out of the sitting room.

"You didn't hesitate on lying." Kili teased Liesel as soon as the bruiting dwarf was out of earshot.

She had finally found her mother`s fiery side in her, and coolly looked up at the black haired dwarf "Well you two didn't either."

She heard Fili behind her respond "Well, that just makes us the perfect ones."

The girl slightly rolled her eyes and looked at Fili "Please tell me how that makes us perfect, I`d really like to know." She let a smug smirk tug on her lips; that was a phrase her mother would use all the time.

Instead of glaring at her like she would do when her mother told her that, he smirked at her. "That one`s going into the book."

"What book?" She cocked her head to the side, not knowing the pun he had made.

Kili chuckled "It`s a book that we`re writing with amazing comebacks!" He finishes with sarcasm.

"Really? Well, it should just be the most magnificent book I`ve ever read." To her glee, she had actually gotten some slight chuckles out of the brothers.

"So," Kili began, after they had gotten over their laughing "did you check on your papa?"

She whipped her head around to him "What?"

"Mr. Boggins, how`s he doing?"

Her face fumed in anger, but not all of the red was because of anger. How would you feel if a person you had just met assumed someone to be your father?

"For the last time, he is not my father!" She had accidently shouted louder than she wanted, receiving many glances from the other dwarfs in the room. Her face was no longer red of anger, it was blushing. The two brothers giggled again.

She brushed her own face, and tucked most of her hair behind her ears, a nervous twitch she still does today, and furrowed her brow to look intimidating. "Do you two ever listen?"

Even though they had no idea what she was referring to, the still laughed like fools. "Nope, never." Kili responded. She smirked and rolled her eyes.

"So, then what is he?" Fili asked her.

She turned her head back to him "Oh, well, I knew him when I was younger."

"How?"

She released a breath, then smiled again "Oh boy, where do I begin?"

"At the beginning." Kili smirked.

She slowly turned her eyes to face him. "Are you proud of what you just said?"

"Yes, yes I am."

The girl rolled her eyes, but couldn't help a smile forming on her mouth. "Okay, he had me work myself to death when I was a kid. The End." She smirked.

"Oh really? I only knew him for ten minutes, and I never expected him to hate little ones." Fili teased.

She chuckled "Well, he didn't- doesn't really know how to-." She stopped herself. Why was she going to gossip about the person she came to for help?

"What? What isn't he good at?" Kili leaned forward, in a playful manner.

"He doesn't know-, how to discipline people." She finished quickly, silently praying to Valar they hadn't noticed.

They noticed; but thankfully, they decided to leave it. "Well, on account of what happened I`d say, an hour ago?" Fili asked. The three laughed, and continued to talk for more and more minutes, until soft humming broke their conversation.

"What`s that?" Liesel whispered, and turned to face Thorin and many of the other dwarves entering the sitting room; either finding themselves a chair or gathering around the fire place.

She leaned over and whispered to Kili "What are they-?"

"Shh,"

"What?" She whispered back.

"Don`t speak. When dwarfs sing, or even speak, a song like this, we remain silent until it is over."

She cocked her head to the side in confusion. Dwarfs could be just so confusing. Still, she put her puzzlement to the back of her mind, and nodded, letting the music flow through her ears and imagination.

Thorin led, and the dwarves followed in the song.

 _Far over the misty mountains cold._

 _To dungeons deep and caverns old._

 _We must away ere break of day._

 _To seek the pale, enchanted gold._

 _The dwarves of yore made mighty spells._

 _While hammers fell like ringing bells._

 _In places deep,_

 _where dark things sleep,_

 _In hollow halls beneath the fells._

 _For ancient king and elvish lord._

 _There many a gleaming golden board._

 _They shaped and wrought, and light they caught._

 _To hide in gems and hilt of sword._

 _On silver necklaces they strung,_

 _the flowering stars,_

 _on crowns the hung._

 _The dragon-fire, in twisted wire,_

 _they meshed the light of moon and sun._

 _Far over the misty mountains cold._

 _To dungeons deep and caverns old._

 _We must away, ere break of day. To claim our long-forgotten gold._

 _Goblets they carved there for themselves._

 _And harps of gold; where no man delves._

 _There lay they long, and many a song. Was sung unheard by men or elves._

 _The pines were roaring on the height, The winds were moaning in the night._

 _The fire was red, it flaming spread;_

 _The trees like torches blazed with light._

 _The bells were ringing in the dale._

 _And men they looked up with faces pale; The dragon's ire more fierce than fire._

 _Laid low their towers and houses frail._

 _The mountain smoked beneath the moon;_

 _the dwarves they heard the tramp of doom._

 _They fled their hall to dying fall. Beneath his feet, beneath the moon._

 _Far over the misty mountains grim._

 _To dungeons deep and caverns dim._

 _We must away, ere break of day, To win our harps and gold from him!_

Words could not describe what Liesel was feeling as the song ended. Of course, there`s mesmerized and curiosity. But there`s also sadness and sympathy. She knew for sure, she couldn't just sit down in her own hobbit hole after finally hearing their pain; and especially not after what her mother had done to her.

* * *

She spent a few minutes after the song ended to look for Gandalf. You`d think the man would stick out like a sore thumb in a hobbit hole, but the girl couldn't find him for perhaps five minutes. When she finally found him, he was smoking a pipe outside of the hole.

"Gandalf?" Her voice went up into the wizard`s ears. He took the pipe out of his mouth, and looked down to the young girl when she spoke.

"What is it my dear Liesel?" He asked and looked down at her like a grandfather.

Her eyes shifted to the green grass, than quickly back up to the grey-coated man. "Bilbo isn't coming, is he?"

He shook his head "I`m afraid not, Miss Hayward." He stuck the pipe back in his mouth, and looked back down at her; he knew for a fact what her heart desired, but did she?

"If you don`t mind me asking my dear, but what of concerns does Mr. Baggins has to you?"

She perked her head up to him, and hurried herself to make up an excuse "Well, I just didn't know how well he would have done; and, it`s just that I heard them singing about-, well." She spoke slowly after she thought her idea slipped out.

An almost invisible smile appeared on Gandalf`s lips "My dear Liesel, are you proposing what I think you are?"

She stuck her hands to her side and assumed pockets were there, then shrugged her shoulders "That depends on what you`re thinking."

Gandalf didn't hide his smile this time "Then I`ll take it as a yes. Why on earth would you think of something as chancy as this?"

"I want to get away."

He nodded "Ah, you are quite bored of your life?"

"A little bit, but-." She hesitated.

"But what, my dear?"

She licked her lips in nervousness "I-, my mom doesn't love me anymore."

Instead of him glaring at her and lecturing her of her irrationalness, he simply nodded again "What she done to you to make you feel this way?"

"She hit me."

Gandalf the Grey himself was taken aback by this for a slight moment. "For what reason?"

"None."

"There has to be a reason for everything."

"Really? What`s a good reason to smack your kid?" She unintentionally snapped.

He shook his head "There is none, child. But, look at it from your mother`s perspective, did she seem tired when she had done it?" he moved closer to get a better look at the girl`s face. She shook it.

"Let me resay that, was she before?" He corrected himself.

This time, she stared at the grass in deep thought; of course, she knew the answer, but didn't want to say. Finally, she took her head up, and slightly nodded.

A sincere grin pulled onto Gandalf`s lips at her honesty "That is what I believed. Liesel, do you know how much your mother loves you?"

She wrinkled her face slightly to him, and did her best to avoid the topic "Can I come with you, in Bilbo`s place?"

"The right way of saying it would be 'May I', and do you have any idea how dangerous it might be?" He calmly asked.

She instantly nodded "I know the risks."

"Ah, but do you?"

"Gandalf, there`s nothing for me here."

There was a moment of silence and thought between them. How could this child not believe her mother`s remorse after what he had just said? An important plan sprung into Gandalf`s mind.

"Alright," He said, without even sounding as if he failed to persuade her, and reached for the front door.

Her head instantly snapped up to his eyes "What?" She sounded almost out of breath.

"You may come, we must speak to Thorin first." And with that, he opened the circular door and stepped inside, leaving Liesel out in the chilly April night weather, confused beyond belief.

* * *

The leader dwarf sighed, and pinched the bridge of his nose "Gandalf, I thought we agreed that we needed an adult burglar, not a child."

Liesel glared at him when his back was turned, and a comforting hand placed on her shoulder before she could even think of a retort to him. "Yes Thorin, I will take full responsibility of that. But, Miss Hayward is our only source."

"We would do better off without her, she would only slow the journey down."

"Yeesh." The child could only mouth to the wizard. He shook his head.

"Thorin, son of Thrain, who would you propose to enter the mountain, if Liesel would not accompany us?"

At this, Thorin only glared at the two, then pulled his head down to the hobbit`s eyes. "You. Do you have any fighting experience what so ever?"

Now, Liesel wasn't the brightest girl in all of Hobbiton, you will see later in this tale. "I stabbed myself with a kitchen knife on accident as a child, does that count?" She pulled a wry smile to her lips.

The 'king under the mountain' rolled his eyes, and almost hurt himself to not bury his face in his hands. "I will not risk twelve lives, for one child."

Liesel could not keep quiet anymore. "What other choice do you have?" She coolly asked, against Gandalf`s wishes.

The tall and the small men in the room stared down to the smaller girl, almost in astonishment. When nobody had talked, Gandalf broke the silence.

"Thorin, would you please hand the contract over to Miss Hayward? I will speak to you as she signs."

The dwarf rolled his eyes once again, and took the contract out of a pouch he had carried with him. He handed it to Liesel, who opened it and drew her eyes to the last line.

 _In role as Burglar for Thorin and Company, or in any other role they see fit, at their sole discretion from time to time._

 _Signed: Thorin son of Thrain_

 _Witness: Balin son of Fundin_

 _Burglar:_

Thorin and Gandalf had left to talk in the halls, Bilbo was resting in his own bed, more than half of the dwarves were fast asleep in the sitting room, but Liesel Hayward was staring down deeply into the contract, holding the ink filled quill still.

A few times, she managed to make small dots on the page, but never strokes. That is, until Thorin and Gandalf had come back a few minutes later from their 'talk'.

Thorin had obviously seen the girl`s hesitance. "Are you certain you know what you are doing, girl?" He asked.

And with that, Liesel finally snapped out of her fear, and wrote her name onto the blank space.

 _Burglar: Liesel Hayward_

A soft hand placed itself on Liesel`s right shoulder caused her to slightly jump, and looked behind her to see Gandalf, and his famous, comforting smile.

"We leave tomorrow, first light." Thorin had briefly said, and immediately left the room.

"You might want to get some sleep, Liesel. Your life will be quite different starting tomorrow." Gandalf took his hand off of her shoulder, and walked to the edge of the kitchen door, where they had signed.

She smiled "I will," he turned to leave "And Gandalf-." He turned back around. "Thank you." She wanted to go into more detail, but thought better; that, and she was more tired than she thought.

The wizard smiled, and with a tip of his hat, wished her goodnight, and left.

When she was positively sure he had left, she picked up the quill and scribbled on one more word, then set the quill down, and left for sleep.

* * *

 **My gosh! I am so sorry this took me a bit to figure out, I just got some writer`s block (the horror!) and had a pretty busy weekend. But, on a lighter note, I saw** _ **Fantastic Beasts**_ **. It was AMAZING! I really loved the characters, and the effects especially. I do have to say, some of you might fault me for this, but I think Eddie Redmayne did a better performance as Newt, than Daniel Radcliffe did as Harry. I have even thought of two possible fanfictions; and they are my first, non-OC ones…. That must be the saddest thing a fanfiction writer has ever said. Oh, and thank you to every single person who has favorited, followed, reviewed, and liked this story but didn't favor it (I am extremely guilty of doing that).**


	4. You'll Be Back

**Really guys, really? I only have four chapters, we haven't even begun the real plot yet, and I already have 11 favorites, 3 reviews, and 13 follows! My Lordy, that`s more than I have gotten on my last one! *Has flashbacks* Yeah, let`s just forget about those things. Anywho, thank you guys so much! I`m just trying my best to tread lightly on Liesel`s character; you may or may not have any idea of how to incorporate a child into more adult conditions; and make the character "good". And if any of you want to tell me something, good or bad, please tell me; I`d much appreciate anything that I could fix, add, take away, etc.**

* * *

"Lise, little Liesel, it`s time to wake up." A voice that added a hint of sweetness calmly spoke into her ear and shook her.

She groaned just a hint, and refused to open her eyes or to get up off the floor. The voice tried again, shaking her left shoulder.

The tiny hobbit moaned again, louder this time, and shoved his hand away "Go away," and showed her back to him.

The owner of the voice grinned, snatched the thin blanket covering her, and ripped the cover off her tiny form.

This caused her to shoot her eyes open, and instantly shove the person who distupted her.

He lightly chuckled at her attempt of attack and grabbed her wrists "Hey, if you`re going to come with us, you gotta wake up when awoken." He said, just with a bit more seriousness.

She stared at him, then sighed, and he let go of her wrists "Anything else?" She asked.

Kili could not tell by her tone of voice if she was sarcastic, or crucial about her question. But, he could not go against his morals.

He grinned at her again "Yes, remind me and Fili to teach you not to hit like a pansy."

Even in the pitch black, the dwarf knew the girl opened her mouth to give a snappy retort, so he instantly interrupted her. "No time little princess, we have to leave."

She sighed, and lifted herself off the ground, and reached her hands away from her to feel anything to guide her. "I can`t see anything."

Kili had also gotten up and moved without a worry of bumping into something or someone. "Here, I`ll open the curtains." He moved a few feet to a window, and swiftly pulled the curtains away.

No light entered the sitting room.

"You have got to be-." The girl whispered, until she had nearly tripped over a hunched figure.

"Watch it!" A dwarf, she believed to be Gloin, had hissed at her when her foot collided with his back as he was packing the bare necessities in his pack.

"Sorry," She whispered, and immediately filled with regret. She moved her foot away from the direction she was going to take, and treaded toward a different direction.

It hadn't been long after she almost stepped on poor Gloin, when she saw a light coming from the kitchen appear. Then one after another, more started appearing.

A small grin appeared on her face in relief as she made her way to the kitchen`s light.

Gandalf the Grey was doing something Liesel Hayward had never expected he would be doing in his life, as long as it is. The tall, wizard was trying his best at attempting not to break any of Bilbo`s appliances, as he, Bombur, and Bofur cooked breakfast for everyone.

She continued to gaze in utter wonder as the wizard she had slightly feared, was helping those shorter than him cook a meal with even tinier kitchen utensils.

Liesel suppressed a giggle as she remembered that she had not even lightly packed when she agreed to accompany the dwarves and Gandalf on the perilous quest. So, she quietly as best as she could, turned away from the cooks, and silently marched to the front door of the Baggins` Hobbit Hole.

"Ah, Ms. Hayward." Gandalf`s voice called to her from across the corridor when her hand was but an inch away from the handle.

The girl bit her tongue to not curse under her breath, and turned to see the dwarfs that helped Gandalf, and a few others slightly staring at her.

"Good morning," She remembered her manners and spoke up, not breaking eye contact with any of them.

"Where are you off to, lass?" Bofur asked, as he stopped stirring the dough in the bowl.

She thought quickly "Just need to clear my head,"

An almost invisible smile drew on Gandalf`s face. "My dear, lying isn't always going to help you escape. You must know that."

She froze for a split second. How could he have known? Then nodded. "I need to gather my belongings."

The wizard`s face fell, and just a few of the dwarves either silently sighed, or made small remarks to one another.

"My dear Liesel, if you are to accompany us on this journey, our expectations for you may be higher than you might think."

Not even thinking of saying a snappy comeback, she nodded her head "I know, sorry sir." That was also an etiquette rule her mother hammered into her mind; to call a person of higher authority a "ma`am" or "sir".

The wizard couldn't help but smile at her manners "Now run along, do not be astonished if we would leave without you." He slightly teased.

A shy smile was on her face when she pushed the door open and quietly sprinted to her Hobbit Hole.

…

She had luckily hopped into the bushes just in time her mother came out of the door. Liesel had never recalled that her mother was out of the house before light, even when the taxes on their home was but a week away.

It wouldn't have been 24 hours since Liesel ran out in tears, but the darkest of black was under Briar`s eyes, and she would stumble as she slowly walked away from her comfort of home. Liesel had the slightest idea why she was up at this hour, but dismissed it. If her mother really loved her, then why had she hit her?

When Briar was finally out of sight, the girl crawled out of the bushes, and instead of getting up and walking to the front door, she stayed on her knees and crept to the back of the hole, where her bedroom was.

This was one of her earlier moments of being a bright hobbit; she knew her mother hadn't locked the door, but she would not risk any of her neighbors spotting her; especially Mrs. Shaw.

She had gotten on her feet when she was 99% sure she was out of sight, and reached with all her might in her short arms to her window. She had successfully grabbed onto the base of the window, and pulled herself up.

While holding on, she carefully slid her fingers across the base and grabbed the bottom of the window; thank Valar that her mother gave her the room with the slid open window.

She carefully pulled the window open all the way up, it was just enough for her to crawl through. She went feet first and attempted to carefully pull herself through. Her outcome wasn't exactly… graceful, per say.

She had accidently pulled herself in to low, and ended up bruising her ribs on the base through her dirty blouse she had worn yesterday. She let out a gasp as she thought to have fallen on the hard floor, but was met with soft material. She had forgotten her window was directly place under her bed.

There were many things she had needed to improve on for the journey. She needed to have a better memory, learn how to fight, keeping her mouth shut, and keep her pain to herself; at one or perhaps two instances of her tale, she had been able to master all four of these. But often, there was always one she`d proceed to throw out the window.

The young hobbit let out a sigh of relief, then slightly pulled her blouse up to see the damage on her side. There was nothing there, but she knew that it would form into a dark bruise when she lightly touched it. She was not even a foot out of the Shire, and she had already injured herself; how was she going to handle thousands of miles of walking, not to mention a dragon at the end of the road?

She shook the thoughts out of her head, and dragged herself off the bed to her trunk in the corner to the door`s right.

Liesel took the lock into her tiny hand, and carefully unlatched the chest. She pulled the trunk open to reveal a few blouses, dresses, skirts, winter scarves, shawls, and other women`s clothing you can think of. Then there was only one of these pieces of clothing: a man`s green coat, a regular white shirt, a brown vest, and a pair of pants; all which she begged her mother to buy her.

Packing was also something she wasn't necessarily the best at. She had only decided to pack three of her blouses, two dresses, three skirts, one shawl, the green coat, the white shirt, and the pants. She had remembered one of the dwarves, Dwalin, had grumbled annoyingly along the lines of "pack lightly," but she had no idea how lite was too lite.

For her clothes, she stripped out of her dirty blouse and skirt, and put on a plain white blouse, and a spring green skirt that went to just about her ankles. She pulled the brown vest over her shoulders, deciding that she wouldn't put the green jacket on yet, since it was still fairly warm out.

She buttoned up her pack full of only clothes and the rest of the coins she had, and pulled it over her shoulder. She stared at the opened window, and shook her head. She stepped onto the bed, then closed the small window; it was best not to.

The girl hopped off the bed, and pulled her door open, carefully of course. She looked around the sitting room to see any signs of her mother being there. The door was still closed, and it didn't look like nothing moved from the place Liesel saw through the window as she moved to the back.

She treaded out of her room and calmly closed her bedroom door, knowing possibly the last time ever seeing it. Did she really want to do this? The only time she was ever away from home, was when it was the third year her father hadn't returned home, and she and her mother were determined to at least look for him in Bree. Briar was more hopeful and faithful back then.

Her worried facial turned into a scowl at the memories, she could not leave when others had their home taken away from them; she just had to suck it up, and leave. Besides, she signed the contract, she couldn't back out now, could she?

She didn't bother to think anymore, and tried her best to not storm out of her home and make a scene. Instead, she gripped the door`s handle, and pushed it open.

Thankfully, her mother or anyone else wasn't out and about, for it was still fairly dark out, but you could see hints of the sun awakening to the east.

Liesel hadn't forgotten about her mother at all as she was careful about heading back to Mr. Bilbo`s house, but she had chosen not to write just a small note; she had mostly forgotten about the hit, but there was still an unknown feeling of sticking it back to her mother.

…

She slowly opened Bilbo`s door and peeked inside to see half of the dwarves rushing themselves and each other to pack, and the other half sitting down to a merry breakfast. All of which was doing with little to no talking; who knew after dwarves ransacked Mr. Baggins` lovely home, they`d have the decency to not wake him up on purpose?

The thought made a sincere smile touch her face, and she set her bag down, and walked to the dining room where the other half of the dwarves were sitting, enjoying breakfast.

The first one to smile at her was Gandalf of course, who was sitting at the end of the table farthest away from her.

She gave a tiny smile back, and searched for Fili and Kili, the two dwarves she had had some knowing of. But alas, they were not at the table; it figured that they were with the other half that still needed to pack.

Feeling a bit out of place, she took one of the plates, and picked up four Johnnycakes and two hash browns. She would have preffered grape juice, but Bilbo seemed to not have a drop anywhere.

When she had gotten her food, she looked around the room for anywhere to possibly sit. She had looked from one side of the table to another about thirty times most likely, when a dwarf with maybe the funniest hat Liesel had ever seen finally noticed her hesitance.

"You can sit right here, lass." His beckoned her from her right, and looked to find him.

When she finally did, he waved his hand to her, and she smiled, walking to him, then sitting on his left.

"Is this your first time out of your home?" He instantly asked after she had taken a single bit of one of her Johnnycakes.

She swallowed first, then looked to him "Well no, but it`ll the first-time I`ll be far away from it."

He offered her a smile "You have any friends you`ll miss?"

She shrugged "I can`t really think of any at the moment, but yes, yes there will be."

"What about your mother and father?"

She set her fork down, and looked right to him. "How many questions do you ask in a day?" she asked, regretting it when she realized she sounded obviously annoyed.

Instead of scowling, he chuckled "You would pull all of your hair out if you even tried to count."

She smiled at this, and continued to eat from her plate.

"You didn't answer what I asked." He said, perhaps after four minutes of them eating in silence.

She looked at him, and didn't speak until she swallowed her second hash brown. "What did you ask again?"

"What about your ma and pa? It`d be a miracle for a burglar your age to come along." He tilted his head, almost causing his hat to fall.

She mentally wrote down another thing she needed to improve on that journey: quick thinking.

As she faced him, she stared at small things in the room; dust, small splinters from the table hanging, excetera.

"Lass?" the dwarf`s calm voice was what made her remember she was not alone.

"Oh? Sorry mister-." She tried desperately to remember the name that Gandalf used the other night, but could only remember his face from making poor Bilbo collapse, and seeing him making breakfast.

"Bofur," he said as she struggled to come up with the name.

"Huh?"

"Bofur, that is my name lassie. Always has been, and I don`t plan on changing it." He gave her a grin.

She returned the smile "Oh, I`m Liesel Hayward." She stuck her hand out for him to shake it, forgetting the better chance of him already knowing her name.

He did in fact remember her first and last name, who wouldn't though? She was the only female to ever even have the slightest possibility of joining. But, he kept the grin on his face, and shook her hand.

"Ah, it`s a pleasure to meet you Ms. Hayward." He spoke, almost letting out 'again' into the sentence.

To this she grinned again, and let go of his hand, returning back to her food; somehow unknow to these two, they were pretty much the only ones in the dining room still eating.

"You still didn't answer." He repeated again, after he let her get a few more bites of her second to last Johnnycake.

She looked back up to him again, but chewed slower, hoping that something would disrupt them.

At the moment, she hesitantly swallowed all of her food, a voice, belonging to Thorin, spoke up. "We move out."

In an instant, she gathered her plate up, and moved to the sink in the kitchen, and quickly turned on the water and scrubbed as much food off as possible. She then set the plate down, and dashed for the door, where about all of the company had gathered.

She shoved her way through several of the dwarves, and snatched up her small pack. From the sitting room, Gandalf appeared and placed his hand on the dwarves` heads one at a time.

"Oin, Gloin, Dwalin, Ori…" It went on like that for the other nine dwarves.

"Where`s Liesel?" He spoke when he tapped Nori`s head at the front.

She raised her hand up into the air for her to be seen. Thorin had rolled his eyes, still not believing it what Gandalf had explained to him the other night.

The old man smiled, and reached the bottom of his staff to carefully touch her palm "And Liesel."

She set her hand down, and put on a bright smile.

"We head for the Farmer Maggot." Thorin spoke sharply, and pushed the door open for the company to head out.

This was when her smile fell to a frown. Balin saw her face out of the corner of his left eye. "You alright, lassie?" He gently asked.

She slightly jumped his sudden voice, but calmed herself down and looked to him "Oh, I am, it`s just," She quickly tried to find her wording "The two of us haven't really seen eye to eye."

He gave her the smallest of smiles "I understand, there are a few dwarfs and other men I haven't gotten along with."

Liesel smiled at his kindness, and his morality to make it easier on her.

The whole company had walked out the door after that, and not even another hole away from Bilbo Baggins`, Gandalf spoke up. "Oh! Silly me, I have seemed to forgotten something." He said, and pushed himself through he dwarfs, ignoring their 'What could he have possibly forgotten?', 'Does it look like we have time to waste?' and my personal favorite, 'Will there be a day where the old man never forgets something?'

Maybe a minute or two later, the wizard came out of the home with nothing in his hand. Liesel and only few of the dwarves assumed he put it into his bag. "I am terribly sorry, I just could not simply leave without gathering it."

The girl thought Thorin would have demanded to know what he had forgotten, but with a roll of his eyes, turned back to the front "Move along."

So, they did. Not one word was said to Liesel, and not one word came out of her as they walked to the farmer`s land.

…

The sun was just halfway up when the company had made it to the Maggot`s Farm. Already, Liesel believed it had been the most she ever walked to get to one place to another.

The dwarves, wizard, and hobbit were directly in front of the farmhouse, which most people, including Liesel, had thought to be odd, and the stable when Gandalf knocks on the house door with his staff.

"Oh, for the love of Valar, who could be knocking right now?!" Gandalf, and every single being in the company, could here Mrs. Maggot, Cora, complaining on the other side.

"I don`t know, just stay back and keep quiet." He shushed her, and hesitantly pulled his door open.

"It is a pleasure to see you again, Dale Maggot." Gandalf spoke with a hint of cheerfulness.

The farmer pulled the door wide open "Gandalf the Grey, it is indeed a pleasure to see you too!"

The wizard laughed "Quite it is indeed. Now, the ponies?"

"Oh! Ah yes, the best I`ve got." He said, then walked down his front steps and lead them to the nearby stable, completely ignoring the dwarves.

He took the latch off the door "Fifteen, correct?" He asked as he pulled the doors open, and lead the company into the stable.

"Actually, we will need sixteen." Gandalf said, as he petted a nearby dark brown horse.

The farmer looked up from untangling another pony out of his reins and handing them to Bifur. "Sixteen?"

"Yes, it seems we`ve brought more luggage then we thought we had."

The farmer sighed, then walked to the back of the stables, Gandalf followed.

He opened the last door to a somewhat scrawny steed. "She doesn't look like much, but she may carry the smallest you have."

Gandalf looked back and at Liesel, who was attempting to hop onto a free pony, but was ultimately taken by Dwalin. The wizard smiled, then looked back. "She will do finely."

So, Gandalf payed for the scrawny pony, and took her to Liesel. "Alright my dear, this little one will be-,"

"Wait a minute," Farmer Maggot interrupted and practically threw another pony's reins to Fili, and walked right to Liesel "You`re Briar Hayward`s daughter?"

She nodded, and attempted to hide her slight fear of being recognized.

"Liesel, that`s your name?"

She nodded again.

"You`re the little brat years ago!" He suddenly rose his voice, causing many of the dwarves to stare.

"Dale Maggot, I believe it is not your place-." Gandalf began, but did not get quite far.

"You know, your momma screwed up a bunch of the work the past days!" He rose his voice louder, and moving just an inch closer.

This was the time Liesel could no longer stand silent "Well perhaps if you would do it yourself, then she wouldn't have!" Most of the company had been silenced by the little one`s retort; all except the youngest brothers, they had known she would have said something like they would have done to each other.

The wizard placed his hand onto Liesel`s small shoulder, promptly silencing her. "Come along, all of you." Gandalf spoke sharply to all the others, and they began to haul out of the stable.

"Hey, what about my money?" Dale Maggot asked, clearly not going to forget what Liesel said.

Without turning to look at him, Gandalf threw multiple coins behind him to the farmer, not taking his hand off of Liesel`s shoulder until he hoisted her up onto the pony.

"My dear child, you must learn to control your thoughts." He said to Liesel.

Instantly scolding her sudden 'shy to outspoken' phases, she avoided his eyes "Sorry sir,"

The wizard smiled at her again "You do not need call me that, nor anyone else, unless they prefer it." He reassured her.

She slightly looked to him, and gave a shy smile. If she had to be with someone she had only heard of but never met, she was thankful it was Gandalf.

With one last smile, he left her and went to the front to his horse.

"Ooo, who knew Liesel had that enough sass." She heard Fili`s voice tease her from behind, and heard a few giggles.

A wry smile appeared on her face, then turned "If you thought that was bad, believe me, you`ve seen nothing yet."

The same members chuckled. As they continued on, she had gotten more familiar with the dwarves that she thought were the easiest to talk to. She sang songs with them, played small games, and played a game of riddles. But, she hadn't quite forgotten about the contract she left at Bilbo`s home; and neither had Gandalf.

* * *

The morning sun was shining brightly through Bilbo`s bedroom window. Bilbo woke up on his bed, and suddenly realized that his house was very quiet. He walked all around his house expecting to run into the dwarves; however, there was no one there. The house had been cleaned up completely from the mess of the party last night, almost as if it had never happened.

"Hello?" He asked throughout the looked in all places, even the oddest. But to no avail, he found no one.

The hobbit peeked into his writing room near the front door, and saw no one. He seemed happy at first, then moved farther in. As he stopped, something had caught his eye; the contract and a small note placed right next to it.

He decided to read the note first.

" _This will perhaps leave you ten minutes before we leave the Shire`s borders. You will have to run. No time for 'buts'. Off you go!" – Gandalf the Grey._

If his Tookish side wasn't begging for him to leave, now it was straight out screaming for him. In turn, after he found his home to be quite lonesome, and after reading Gandalf`s note, he was about to make his final decision, when he read the last line of the contract.

 _Burglar: Liesel Hayward and_

He shot his glance up from the table. Liesel wasn't a regular child, believe me he had known that, but he never once expected her to drop everything and leave The Shire. His Tookish side was now physically pulling his hand onto a pen, and signed his name next to Liesel`s. Then it forced him to pack his bags in a flash, no money, nor walking stick like he usually carried anytime he went out.

But whence he stepped out his door, the rush of an adventure filled him, and told him to run, run as fast as he could.

So he did. He ran out of his garden and down the path, wearing a travelling pack and holding the contract. He ran through Hobbiton, jumping over fences and pumpkins in his haste like a little one. His neighbors shook their heads at him.

One of his neighbors he was the closets to, Mr. Gamgee shouted to him "Hey, mister Bilbo! Where you off to?"

With letting out a laugh, Bilbo responded "Can`t stop, I`m already late!"

"Late for what?!"

"I`m going on an adventure!" With that, he dashed further into the woods.

* * *

"He won`t be here, you two." Fili shook his head at his brother and Liesel.

"Yes he will!" They whined back, playfully.

He shook his head again, and opened his mouth to say something.

"Wait! Wait!" All of the company heard from behind.

Some dwarves called 'Woah!' and stopped their ponies. As Liesel did, she couldn't help but smile at him for coming, and not for her obvious reason.

Bilbo caught up with them and handed his contract to Balin. "I signed it,"

Balin took the contract and inspected it with a pocket-glass. He then smiled at Bilbo. "Everything appears to be in order. Welcome, Master Baggins, to the company of Thorin Oakenshield **."**

Bilbo smiled for a brief second, until he saw Liesel on a pony from the corner of his eye. "Oh uhm, she-she doesn't need to come, I-I`m taking her place." He stuttered.

Thorin rolled his eyes "Believe me, Master Burglar, if we could let her go, we would have done it by now." He eyed Gandalf, then back to Bilbo "Give him a pony."

He looked back to Thorin "No, no, no, no, that-that won't be necessary, thank you, but I-I'm sure I can keep up on foot. I- I-I've done my fair share of walking holidays, you know. I even got as far as Frogmorton once-WAGH!"

Bilbo's speech was cut off as Fili and Kili rode alongside him and picked him up from behind and set him on a pony.

He was soon greeted by a big smile from a small Liesel riding next to him. "Thank you,"

Bilbo looked to her "What?"

"Thank you for coming, now I won`t be alone."

A smile threatened to show on his lips, but his Baggins side for chivalry took over "W-well, you`re a child! I don`t see why they have to bring you along."

She furrowed her eyes at him, but then lightened them. "Then I guess I`m your responsibility."

He whipped his head around to look at her, mentally asking himself if he heard right.

She smirked at him "Good luck," she said, and with that, rode ahead to catch up with a few of the dwarves she met while riding.


	5. Haunted

The small hobbit continued to silently giggle as she saw her neighbor riding a pony for the first time. Oh, what she would give anything for him to make that exact same facial. In truth, she was extremely terrified to ride a pony; the only existing hobbit in history to have ever rode a horse on his own was Bilbo Baggins` own great-great-great-great uncle, Bullroarer Took. Though she was afraid, she couldn't show her fear. How would she have the strength to make it all the way to Erebor if she complained that she had slightly hurt herself and was afraid to ride a pony?

After recounting her own fear, her giggling had stopped and she wiped the smirk off her face, contemplating whether she should continue her pace and build more relations with the dwarfs, or slow down to try and make small talk with her fellow hobbit she hadn't had a proper conversation with in a while. She chose the latter.

With a genuine smile on her face, she pulled on her reins, her intention for her pony to slow down. But, the pony had stopped in her tracks, instantly worrying Liesel of making a fool out of herself again. Beyond her panic, a few chuckles from the younger dwarfs could be heard. Others had shaken their heads in impatience, or sympathy for the child.

Bilbo had pulled his head up to the shaking form of the girl. "Liesel, are you alright?" He asked her when she finally got her pony to start up again, and he had ridden to her right.

"Huh?" She spoke, slightly alarmed by his voice, but looked to him with a slight smile "Oh, yes, I am fine."

A tiny grin went to Bilbo`s lips, "Well, that is nice to hear."

"Come on, Nori, pay up. Go on." A voice belonging to Oin had teased with a laugh. Nori tossed a sack of money to Oin; sacks of money began passing between the dwarves.

"Hey, hey, hey!" Oin said when the bag had slightly torn and a few coins had fell out. Some of the dwarves laughed as bags were thrown to each other.

"What's that about?" The confused elder hobbit turned to Gandalf, who was to his right and little Liesel was to his left, and asked.

"Oh, they took wagers on whether or not you'd turn up. Most of them bet that you wouldn't." Gandalf told. The Baggins side of the hobbit was shouting 'How rude of them to bet on me!'; but, thankfully the Took side was stronger, and did not repeat the Baggins` phrase.

"What did you think?" Bilbo instead asked. Unknown to him, a small, wry smirk was on the little girl`s face behind him.

The wizard let out a small 'hmm', before catching a sack of money a dwarrow had tossed to him.

"My dear fellow, I never doubted you for a second." The man set his winnings in his bag, then continued slightly ahead of the two Halflings.

As the wizard went away, Bilbo turned his head to the small girl. "Liesel Hayward," He began in a slight scolding tone "don`t tell me you made a bet."

Liesel`s face fell "What? Mr. Bilbo, I would never bet on something you-." Her words were cut short when Kili`s voice had come from behind her.

"Lise, catch!"

She was met with a tiny bag full of money hitting just above her shoulder and landing in her lap. Bilbo cocked a suspicious eyebrow up at her when she picked the small sack up by the top and refused to look at him for a few seconds.

"Well, would you look at that?" She said slowly, followed by her obvious uncomfortable laughter.

Bilbo sighed. In a flash, it turned into a sneeze; a very loud sneeze.

"Ohh. All this horse hair, I'm having a reaction." The elder hobbit searched his pockets for his handkerchief. He was sadly unable to find it, and he looked up in shock.

"No, no, wait, wait, stop! Stop! We have to turn around." He shouted all the way up for the front to hear, raising his hand up to stop them.

The entire company came to a halt, and the dwarves started objecting and asking what the problem was.

"What on earth is the matter?" Gandalf slightly grumbled.

"I forgot my handkerchief." The frazzled Bilbo responded and continued to search every crook and cranny of his pockets and rucksack.

"You have got to be joking," She muttered under her breath in annoyance.

Bofur piped up "Here. Use this!" The miner ripped a peace off of his shirt, and threw it to Bilbo.

Mr. Baggins caught the filthy rag, and scowled at in in disgust. Liesel could not banter on him to much now; just by simply looking at it, it was the one of the grossest things she has ever saw, and she would be facing orcs, goblins, and countless other disgusting creatures. The dwarves laughed and continued moving.

"Move on." Came Thorin, at the front of the group.

As the others passed by the two hobbits, Liesel hesitantly reached for the rag, then quickly snapped it out of Bilbo`s grasp and threw it on the ground behind them.

Still staring at it, Bilbo asked "I wouldn't suppose you have one on you?"

She shook her head "I only have the clothes on me, and a few others in my sack." She gently kicked her horse to keep going.

The elder hobbit turned his head around to see her leaving. He mimicked what he supposedly heard her do, and quickly caught up to her.

"I`ve been meaning to ask you, Liesel-."

"What?" She asked, still looking ahead, forcing herself not to look at him struggling on how to control his pony.

"Why did you come?"

This was when she slightly turned her head to look him in the eyes. She shrugged. "I don`t really know. Many reason, I guess."

Even with his mostly selective isolation, Bilbo noticed her change in mood, and deduced that she had no heart of talking about it; strange, she hadn't want to talk about what happened the same night she came to him, completely chilled to the bone, and her face red from crying.

He had decided to change the conversation to a much lighter topic. "Liesel, the day when I understand how to put up with these dwarfs like you do, is the day I will teach you how to sew and knit."

In an instant, the girl`s face snapped to look at her neighbor "You knit?"

He nodded "Why yes, I do." He noticed her unmoving face, then saw out of the corner of his eye that a fairly tall, rocky hill was perhaps several meters in front of them.

"Liesel?" He asked, tilting his head to the approaching hill they had to climb

"You knit?" was her first response.

He slightly furrowed his eyebrows to her, "Yes, I do knit and sew. I would be more than glad to show you, but-," He searched through his large bag again. Gandalf had seen this and pulled back just a bit from the group.

"-it seems I have forgotten my yarn and needles as well." Bilbo had ended the conversation with a sarcastic grin.

"You'll have to manage without pocket-handkerchiefs and a good many other things, Bilbo Baggins, before we reach our journey's end." Gandalf had spoken ahead of them, without turning "You were born to the rolling hills and little rivers of the Shire, but home is now behind you; the world is ahead."

The two hobbits only shared one glance of looking at each other, before continuing on through forests, plains, and hills before they had finally stopped for the night.

* * *

"These rocks seem to be decent shelter," Balin had gottten off his pony, along with the rest of the company, and treaded around the small area at Thorin`s side.

"That they be." Thorin mumbled. He then proceeded to command every one of them to search for firewood, pile rocks into a circle for the fire pit, feed the ponies, or just to set up camp overall.

The only person that wasn't pulling his weight was Gandalf the Grey. Just after Thorin ordered his fellow dwarves and two hobbits to get to work, Gandalf had leaped off his horse, gathered the familiarity of the area, then sat himself up against a tree, took his usual pipe out of his bag, then lit it with tobacco and smoked it even after dinnertime.

"Girl," Thorin`s voice came behind of Liesel after she passed what little twigs she found to Bifur. She turned around to face him, and bit back to say "I have a name, if you don`t know."

The Dwarf king continued to the child "Go help Bombur with supper." He slightly tilted his head over to the fat dwarf.

She furrowed her eyes at him, slightly rolled them, then pushed past him, almost accidently hitting his shoulder with hers.

Once the stew was finished, Liesel couldn't help but mention to herself that it wasn't as bad as she thought it would be. Bombur was in fact a nice dwarf, and she had even learned a new recipe that she would certainly write in her mother`s cookbook when she returned home.

 _Mother. Home._

She shook the two repeating words out of her head as she helped Bombur serve the meal to the company. Only one day into a perilous journey, and she was homesick? She couldn`t be; she _shouldn't_ be!

Whence she finally blocked out the small concerns of her mother and her home, she put on a smile and continued to serve the dwarves. They were unintentionally cheering her up so much, that when Kili had made a joke (I shan`t repeat), Liesel was the one to laugh the loudest, and had almost completely fallen over and spill soup all over herself!

The girl decided when she was finally done serving the meal, she had sat next to Bilbo and slightly teased him that, "Maybe there`s another way for you to teach me how to sew." To this, a chuckle escaped his lips. The young hobbit was quite shocked herself when she made her quite unsocial neighbor giggle.

After everyone had eaten, Thorin pulled his sack over his shoulders, and made his way to the edge to only place it down and to take his bedroll, and set it up.

"Get some rest now, we leave when tomorrow dawns." He responded to the looks of every member when he attracted small attention to himself.

The company responded by unloading the small bedrolls; all except Bilbo and Liesel, who had none.

Instead, Bilbo had opened his bag and laid a brown blanket near a few of the dwarves, then tidied it by pushing down whatever small bumps there were.

The little girl, on the other hand, had only clothes in her bag (as mentioned before). She couldn't simply use one of her dresses as a mattress, and the other as a blanket; so, she used nothing, but laid down where Bilbo`s feet were about a few several inches away from hers. From time to time, as they rested, she could feel his feet push up against hers for a few seconds. This had reminded the girl of when she was younger, and where her mother had dropped her off at a local child care business when she had taken small jobs. During naptime, her first best friend, Opal Mulligan, had laid in the same position, and pushed her feet up against Liesel`s; to which Liesel would return.

As she tossed and turned to try and get at least a few moments of sleep from the dwarves` constant snoring, she had finally given up and counted every fly that was sucked in and out every time Gloin inhaled.

Because of this boring pastime, she had easily noticed Bilbo pulling his head up to stare at the dwarf in disgust. He then got up and off of his bedroll, and walked around the small camp; the only people awake besides Liesel and Bilbo, were Fili and Kili, who were keeping watch, and Gandalf was still resting against a tree and smoking his pipe.

As the hobbit wandered to the clump of ponies, Liesel turned her whole body around to see the exchange between Mr. Baggins and the pony he rode.

He had stopped in front of his pony, and turned from side to side if anyone was staring at him. When he was doing this, Liesel shut her eyes tightly; thankfully, he hadn't noticed, and pulled out an apple and fed the pony.

"Hello, girl. That's a good girl. It's our little secret, Myrtle; you must tell no one. Sh, sh." He shushed her as her smacking got louder.

The little girl couldn't help but silently giggle; that is, until she hears a scream echo into the night. As if waking up from a nightmare, she pulls herself up in a flash to inspect what the noise was.

Bilbo could see Liesel`s regret of getting up so quickly, and felt a small pang of sympathy for her, but his terror of the scream soon took over.

"What was that?" He asked as he passed Liesel to talk to Fili and Kili, who were wide awake and behind the warm fire.

"Orcs." Kili responded, as his eyes went from the two hobbits.

Another scream was heard in the distance, sending shivers up the child`s spine. "Orcs?" She and Bilbo asked at the same time.

Fili put it bluntly "Throat-cutters. There`ll be dozens of them out there. The lowlands with them."

"They strike in the wee small hours, when everyone's asleep. Quick and quiet; no screams, just lots of blood." Kili had said with a voice as if telling a ghost story.

Bilbo had looked away from them, attempting to hide his fright, but Liesel had gawked at the two of them. The brother`s laugh from the hobbit`s reactions. "You think that's funny? You think a night raid by orcs is a joke?" Thorin had surprised the lot of them with his deep voice.

Kili sighed "We didn't mean anything by it."

The dwarf shook his head "No you didn't. You know nothing of the world." He walked off the stand at the age of the cliff. At the commotion, Balin woke up and walked over to the group.

"Don't mind him, laddie. Thorin has more cause than most to hate orcs. After the dragon took the Lonely Mountain, King Thror tried to reclaim the ancient dwarf kingdom of Moria. But our enemy had got there first."

Liesel could only imagine what the battle had been like. She could see thousands of dwarves and orcs fighting in front of what she pictured to be the Lonely Mountain.

"Moria had been taken by legions of Orcs lead by the most vile of all their race: Azog, the Defiler. The giant Gundabad Orc had sworn to wipe out the line of Durin. He began by beheading the King."

Liesel had almost gasped at the thought of an orc four times her size beheading someone only a few inches taller than her.

"Thrain, Thorin's father, was driven mad by grief. He went missing, taken prisoner or killed, we did not know. We were leaderless. Defeat and death were upon us. That is when I saw him: a young dwarf prince facing down the Pale Orc."

The hobbit had pictured Thorin and the orc to be dueling each other.

"He stood alone against this terrible foe, his armor rent…wielding nothing but an oaken branch as a shield"

She could see it. Azog leaped to smash Thorin, but Thorin, grabbing an oaken branch lying on the round, managed to roll away in time. Azog continued wielding his mace against Thorin, who was still on the ground, but Thorin blocked his mace with the oaken branch, which he used as a shield. As Azog swung one last time, Thorin, grabbing a sword lying nearby, cut off Azog's left arm, his mace arm, from below the elbow. Azog clutches the stump of his arm as he howls in pain!

"Azog, the Defiler, learned that day that the line of Durin would not be so easily broken."

Liesel then pictured the dwarves of rallying and charging into battle. "Our forces rallied and drove the orcs back. Our enemy had been defeated. But there was no feast, no song, that night, for our dead were beyond the count of grief. We few had survived." And I thought to myself then, there is one who I could follow. There is one I could call King."

Liesel was the first to turn her head to see Thorin turning away from the view beyond the cliff; the entire Company was awake and standing in awe, staring at him.

"But the Pale Orc?" Bilbo began.

As if reading his mind, Liesel finished for him. "What happened to him?"

Thorin walked between the two of them to approach the fire. "He slunk back into the hole whence he came. That filth died of his wounds long ago."

He treaded to the front of the fire and sat with his back facing the rest of the group; and without even seeing it, the little girl knew that he was avoiding eye contact with Fili and Kili, his nephews.

As the dwarves and the other hobbit slowly made their way to their own bedrolls, Liesel couldn't help but keep staring at where the two screams had come from. Like the brothers had said, they strike when everyone`s asleep. If they had attacked that night, she wouldn't even be able to cry out for help before dying.

Even with the thought, she couldn't bring herself to turn away from the place where the scream echoed. She had even believed for a second she saw a large pair of eyes staring at her like a toy for a dog.

Bilbo was easily the first one to recognize her off behavior, since she was directly a few meters in front of him.

"Liesel, are you alright?" He gently asked the girl.

She snapped out of her worrying and looked to the hobbit, then nodded.

Not convinced of her vague answer, he looked to where she was staring at for a quick second. "Ah, so she`s afraid too." His Baggins' side had thought. Why of course he was still beyond terrified that orcs were lurking, and rightfully so, the only connection he had to the nasty, disturbing creatures were what he read in books; but in reality, the idea wasn't even in the back of his mind.

Ignoring his Took side calmly tell her to snap out of it, he decided to side with his Baggins side, just maybe this once.

"Hey, don`t let those two get to you." He attempted to comfort.

She drew her eyes off the blank ground and to his. "Who, Fili and Kili?"

Being anxious of the brothers hearing, he nodded, the continued to whisper "Yes, yes them. Just don't listen to them, they were just trying to scare us."

"Why?" She thought, but accidently spoke.

He shrugged his shoulders and slightly shook his head "They think we`re the weakest links out all of us." He attempted to joke to slightly cheer her up.

It had partially worked, for a barely noticeable grin tugged onto her lips.

He returned the grin, not just to keep cheering her up, but at the slight satisfaction of helping anyone, and not being completely useless (as he believed himself to be).

"Well," he moved away from her and up to the tip of his makeshift bedroll "goodnight." He said with one last smile.

Her smile also grew a little, and nodded in response. She lied down on the rough, rocky ground, but lied on her side, and instantly fell asleep with the same smile on her face.

Even after a few moments of after saying goodnight, Bilbo had felt a pang of guilt for her a hobbit her age and her size to be sleeping on the freezing ground.

With that slight guilt, he had urged himself to open his bag and gather blanket to drape over her; but, it seemed Fili had beaten him.

The blonde dwarf with more braids than you could count, had silently walked over to the tiny girl and gently wrapped her in the blanket.

"Goodnight, little princess." Fili had ever so quietly whispered.

Bilbo had heard as they rode the first day, that the dwarves, mostly Thorin`s nephews, had called the little hobbit 'Lise' or 'The Little Princess'.

The hobbit hadn't been jealous, oh heaven help us if he was; he hadn't just seen Liesel to have a shorter name. From the small times he talked to her when she was more of a child, he had always seen her with her given birth name, and nothing else.

* * *

 **Heyo, everybody! Okay, so, I`m sorry I haven't updated in a bit. I`m not even going to try with excuses. So, how did you guys feel about the (somewhat) interaction Bilbo and Liesel just had?**

 **More on the matter, how many of you happened to see the new** _ **Sherlock**_ **episode? I`ll give everyone a moment to wince at the entire episode for those who have seen it *tiny wince*. Okay, but oh my gosh, that was a rollercoaster! Yes, there are a few plot holes with the season, or maybe you just need to be Sherlock Holmes himself to understand.**

 **I had even contemplated writing a fanfic of an OC I created (I know, big shock). But, since I`m a lazy piece of trash, I don't necessarily feel as if I have the confidence or patience to write a fic based on a TV show.**

 **Alright, the lot of you, have a good rest of the week, and hopefully you won`t slip and fall on any existing ice you may have!**


	6. A Little Fall of Rain

The first thing Little Liesel felt was the bitter cold. She made a soft groan that she didn't even have to escape her lips, and pulled her blanket tighter to her. Then, she realized how rocky it was underneath her. Why did her bed feel-?

The girl quickly remembered that she had signed herself up to rob a dragon blind, then along came Mr. Bilbo to attempt to take her place; but, Gandalf had only said to the claims of letting her leave: "Please trust me on this, Thorin."

She had thought it would take all of her strength to even open one eye, but it had been a cinch. She had opened both of her eyes at that moment, to see the fire from the night before, put out. She had then turned her head all around to see every dwarf, and the hobbit and wizard, packing up and getting ready to leave.

Bofur was the first to notice "Well, well, well, morning Ms. Liesel." He gave her a cheeky smile, causing a few of the dwarves to let out soft chuckles; she even swore she saw a smirk on Gandalf`s face for a quick second.

Liesel rolled her eyes at his optimism, and pulled herself up onto her knees. She bit her tongue to not let out a hiss of slight pain as her whole body ached from the ground, and rolled her blanket up neatly as she had done to the laundry when she was a fairly young hobbit.

The little girl stood up from her spot on the ground, and walked to where her petite pony had been tied to a nearby tree, all alone since the other ponies were set to leave. A smile had been pulled onto Liesel`s face as she saw the pony`s eyes slightly perked up to the tiny girl staring somewhat up at her; when Liesel hadn't felt like talking on the already long travel, she would pet the little horse for hours on end, and, without even thinking, sang softly into her companion`s ear.

"Hello big girl, how are you doing this morning?" She whispered playfully to the pony. As a response, the minuscule pony had snorted in her hair, causing Liesel to step a little away, but mostly to giggle.

She slightly turned her head over her shoulder when she felt a meek presence behind her. It was Ori, the second youngest (Though he has the face of the most youthful) dwarf. He held a small plate with a tiny cup of the soup she and Bombur had made last night, and some miscellaneous meats.

"I-I thought since y-you didn't wake up earlier, that you I would save you something for breakfast." The timid dwarf stammered at first, but at the end, finished with a tiny grin.

Liesel had instantly returned the adorable act with a small smile. She had remembered in the back of her mind that she was maybe a bit too harsh on him when he had fiddled with the jar of shiny rocks, but had decided to not apologize; she had come up with a small trick, that if the person seemed that they had forgotten something, it`s best not to remind them.

"Thank you so much-," Alright, maybe it was a time for her to apologize since she could not remember the dwarf`s name.

"Oh, oh! Ori, my name is Ori." He stifled a smile.

She smiled back once again "Thank you Ori."

"You are very welcome, Ms-."

"Liesel." She had, on accident, interrupted him "you can just call me Liesel."

The young dwarf smiled shyly, letting out a silent sigh of relief. He nodded and gave a quiet 'goodbye', and left her to help other dwarrows hop onto their ponies.

As the other dwarves were setting themselves onto the ponies, Liesel was stuffing herself full of the food she had been given, not even caring of her mother`s past lectures. Once she had soon finished, she opened her pack up, and shoved the slightly dirty plate face down in the bottom, then buttoned it closed.

She threw the sack over her shoulder and staggered to her own pony, and draped the bag over the pony`s back. As she was setting up, a familiar voice came from behind her.

"Good morning, Little Princess!"

She had almost jumped out of her skin when Kili`s shout entered her pointy ears. The jumpy hobbit whipped her entire being around to face him. She had opened her mouth to shout at the top of her lungs to him, but nothing came out. The dwarf founded this funny.

"Aww, does Little Liesel not know what to say?"

"Kili!" Thorin`s voice echoed through the rocks as Liesel realized she was falling behind, "stop fooling around, and get back up here!"

An arrogant smirk flashed on Kili`s lips, then shouted back up "Yes sir, sorry uncle!" He glanced back down at the hobbit with the same grin on his face, then winked, and left.

The frazzled girl let out a small growl to herself, then reached her left leg up to straddle the scrawny pony. Unfortunately, her little leg wasn't long enough, so when she had hopped just an inch in the air to get a better chance, her leg slid down the pony` saddle, and she landed on her backside.

Her poor pony had been frightened when Liesel`s leg had pushed against her, so she had begun to whine quite loudly.

In an instant, Liesel sprung to her feet and calmly nuzzled the pony and shushed her.

"I know, I know. I`m sorry girl, but we have to try again. Okay?" She asked her own pony.

The pony didn't respond in any way, but Liesel had raised her leg so high it began to hurt just a smidge; but, she had thankfully been able to reach!

Liesel could not be able to hide her excitement as she had sat on the pony all by herself. When she had settled herself onto the pony, she had instantly rushed her; mostly in her excitement, but a hint of remembering she would be most likely left behind. So, it had come of a great surprise when Bilbo was just a few meters behind the dwarves and wizard.

"Oh, there you are!" The hobbit said, then trying his best to usher his pony to move.

The girl pulled her lip to a smile and nodded, slowing her pony down to ride beside him. "Yes, you`re still stuck with me." She joked.

Before Bilbo could open his mouth to correct her, the two hobbits were interrupted by a certain pair of dwarves.

"Oi, Little Princess, how was your beauty rest?" Kili chuckled.

"Oh, come on little brother, leave the lady alone." Fili had slightly scolded his brother, but couldn't help a few snickers coming out of his mouth.

The brothers had laughed at Liesel`s facial expression as she thought of what to do next. She felt the blanket poke out of her pack and slid her fingers to feel the softness; she looked at her neighbor on her left. A cheeky smile spread across her lips, an idea.

"Mr. Bilbo," She gave him a moment for him to look at her. "thank you so much for giving me a blanket the other night." She transformed her mischievous grin to a sincere smile.

Bilbo, on the other hand, crumpled his eyebrows at her and couldn't help but hold his mouth slightly agape. "What on earth is she talking about?" He had thought to himself, praying he hadn't accidently spoken it (Something he was fairly guilty of doing from time to time.)

"I-I did not give you-." He stuttered to correct her, having absolutely no idea of her little plan to get back at the dwarves that poked fun at her for most of the days.

"-Thank you so much again." She finished, and with one last grin, she rode a few steps ahead of where she once was to get a better look of the faces of Fili and Kili. She could make out that Kili had slightly turned his head and smirked at her like a drunken fool.

As the company of 13 dwarves, 2 hobbits, and 1 wizard rode on for hours upon hours, taking small breaks in between for short meals, the sky had soon darkened in the afternoon, and began to rain heftily. More than the entire half of dwarves had pulled their steeds to a stop to quickly tie on their cloaks and pull their hoods up, but to both of the hobbits` dismay, they hadn't brought anything of the sort with them.

Poor Liesel had been wearing the same clothes for the past two days; the same dirty, wrinkled clothes. She had been used to wearing different dresses for times of day, and she had complained a few times of wanting to wear just one outfit for a whole day, but this was ridiculous!

"To think it will soon be May!" Bilbo grumbled right next to the child. He had had nothing but the red cloak he wore to even keep him _slightly_ warm. "And I`m sure the rain has gotten into the dry clothes and into the food-bags." He thought. It was not the last time he would want to be home by the fire with the kettle just beginning to sing.

Liesel mainly stared down at her pony`s neck, but looked from the corner of her right eye to see her neighbor shivering and mumbling incoherent words. She had already offered him her green coat, which she was wearing over her mint colored shawl that were both soaking wet. But, he had rejected it, and said along the lines of "You will need it more than I will, my dear. We Baggins` have a high tolerance for cold weather."

For several more minutes, the company walked through mud and rain miserably, until one of the dwarves spoke up.

"Here, Mr. Gandalf. Can you do something about this deluge?" Dori had asked.

"It is raining, Master Dwarf, and it will continue to rain until the rain is done. If you wish to change the weather of the world, you should find yourself another wizard." Gandalf looked slightly behind him.

"Are there any?" Bilbo had cut in before Liesel could ask.

"What?"

"Other wizards?" Bilbo rephrased.

Gandalf slightly grinned at the hobbit`s curiosity. "There are five of us. The greatest of our order is Saruman, the White. Then there are the two Blue Wizards; you know, I've quite forgotten their names."

"And who is the fifth?"

"Well, that would be Radagast, the Brown."

"Is he a great Wizard or is he more like you?" Liesel couldn't help but ask, in perhaps not the best way.

Gandalf looked over his shoulder, his mouth slightly hanging open, and Bilbo squinting in disbelief at the young girl`s question.

"Oh, way to go, Liesel. Say something!" She shouted at herself in her mind.

Her smile dropped and froze for a few seconds of thinking desperately what to say. When her eyes landed on Bilbo`s odd expression, she thought no more.

"What? I told you good luck." She spoke. Yet, the hobbit`s face had not changed.

Her mind got the best of her again. "… You`re an idiot."

Gandalf had acted as if nothing had happened. "I think he's a very great wizard, in his own way. He's a gentle soul who prefers the company of animals to others. He keeps a watchful eye over the vast forest lands to the East, and a good thing too, for always Evil will look to find a foothold in this world."

Aside from the questions of needing anything, or the rare jokes, the company had ridden in bitter silence. Of course, Bilbo was wishing of being back home, most likely drinking a cup of tea and reading one of his favorite books by the fire.

Liesel had just been staring down at her pony`s neck, her mind obviously rushing, but not entirely aware of her surroundings; a few of the dwarves near her had to remind her to keep her head up to not run into any trees, she had come close a few times.

The little hobbit had tried to think of anything but home; she refused to let anyone know that she had some doubts of leaving. Why should she even be doubting, her own mother hit her! But, it wasn't exactly easy, almost since every light thing she would imagine would have at least one thing to do with the Shire. While in her mind, she had accidently spoken only one word.

"Myrtle?"

Bilbo turned his head to looks lightly down at her. "Yes?"

"You named your pony?" She finally asked.

"Of course I did, if I`m going to be with her the entire time, might as well." 'Myrtle' had tossed her head back and sniffed in disapproval as if she understood what he said.

"Oh, stuff it!" He said barely above a whisper to the pony.

She slightly giggled at the exchange, then looked straight ahead with a smile this time. "I think I should give mine a name."

"Is that so?" He said, also looking ahead, afraid of running into any low hanging branches.

"Yes. Maybe…" She drifted off into thought. "Opal. I like Opal." She grinned, remembering the past days of Opal and her playing. It was sad to see her leave for Bree, but they had promised to live next door to each other, one way or another.

"Hmm, Opal is a sweet name." He had tried to make conversation, but mostly went inside his head again.

Liesel had done the same, and for the rest of the rainfall, lived inside her head.

* * *

After some time, and after the rain had cleared up and the sun came in, The Company arrived at what looked like to be an old, abandoned farm house in nothing but shambles.

"We'll camp here for the night. Fili, Kili, look after the ponies. Make sure you stay with them." Thorin had started barking orders, and most had leaped off their ponies.

"A farmer and his family used to live here." Gandalf had spoken, while inspecting the tiny, broken house.

"Oin, Gloin." Thorin asked them.

"Aye?" Gloin asked, looking up at hime/

"Get a fire going."

"Right you are."

Gandalf had moved down from the slight hill and moved to the Dwarf King "I think it would be wiser to move on. We could make for the Hidden Valley."

Thorin shook his head "I have told you already, I will not go near that place."

"Why not? The elves could help us. We could get food, rest, advice."

"I do not need their advice."

"We have a map that we cannot read. Lord Elrond could help us." The tall wizard pointed out.

The brooding dwarf stared at him "Help? A dragon attacks Erebor, what help came from the Elves? Orcs plunder Moria, desecrate our sacred halls, the Elves looked on and did nothing. You ask me to seek out the very people who betrayed my grandfather and betrayed my father."

"You are neither of them. I did not give you that map and key for you to hold on to the past."

"I did not know that they were yours to keep." Thorin retorted.

The grey wizard stared at the dwarf for a few more seconds, as if to give him a second chance, but then stormed away from him.

"Everything alright? Gandalf, where are you going?" Bilbo asked right after he and Balin had helped Liesel off of Opal.

"To seek the company of the only one around here who's got any sense." Gandalf had turned over his shoulder to shout, slightly pushing a few of the dwarves out of the way.

"Who's that?" Bilbo asked, truly confused.

"Myself, Mr. Baggins! I've had enough of dwarves for one day." And with that, Gandalf the Grey was out of sight.

The female hobbit tilted her head to the side, having no idea what had just happened. Was he leaving for good or was he-?

"Come on Bombur, and you girl, we`re hungry." Thorin grumbled at the two.

The little girl looked up to Balin "Is he coming back?"

The aging dwarf prayed that she couldn't see his uncertainness; she did.

* * *

 **Ah, ugh! These short chapters! I know I can keep going, but I think it would be a good transition to the next scene- oh wait, chapter. Alright, I just wanted to:**

 **A) Thank you so much for following and sticking with this story!**

 **B) Tell me if I`m making Liesel 'too' witty.**

 **And C) If YOU have any ideas for fluff filled scenes between Fili, Kili, Bilbo, Ori, etc.**

 **Thank you lovely people so much! Happy early Valentine`s Day!**


	7. This Canary's ready to fly free

Liesel lied on her back and squinted her eyes in calculation at almost everything around her. Ori had passed by her as he was unloading his own pack, and rolled out his sleeping mat. Liesel and Bombur had just finished preparing the meal, but had to wait for some time for it to properly cook.

"Ms. Liesel, what are you doing?" The girl`s sharp ears picked up one of the youngest dwarf`s meek voice.

"Counting things." She replied "Bilbo told me to if I`m bored." She returned to counting the single leaves on a tree above her. 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6-.

"Well, I`ll leave you to your 'counting'." He turned to leave, but remembered something Bombur had told. "Oh, and Liesel?" She slightly rose her head up. "The stew`s almost ready." She gave him a small grin. "Okay, I`ll be there."

And she was. After her diner, she had decided to retire fairly early. Only half an hour after that, was when something memorable would happen.

"He`s been a long time." Bilbo paced from his spot he had staring at for an hour, waiting for the grey wizard to return

"Who?" Bofur asked, serving two bowls of stew.

"Gandalf."

"He`s a wizard! He does as he chooses. Here, do us a favor: take these to the lads." The miner handed Mr. Baggins the two bowls, and tilted his head to the direction where Fili and Kili had been keeping watch of the ponies. As Bilbo was leaving, out of the corner of his eye, Bofur caught the fat dwarf scooping more soup out of the pot. "Stop it, you`ve had plenty."

The hobbit continued making his way to the brothers, until he caught his eye of Liesel leaning against the same tree she was a few hours ago, cuddled in a blanket, staring right up into the sky. This caused Bilbo to stop in his tracks and observe her.

"What on earth are you doing?" He managed to ask.

Without breaking contact with the sky, she said "Counting the stars."

He rested his head on his shoulder "But why?"

"It helps me get to sleep easier."

"Why don`t you try counting sheep?"

"It never works for me."

"It does for me," Bilbo muttered.

She dropped her eyes, and turned her head to him, slightly frowning. "You made me lose count."

He scoffed slightly "Well, I`m sorry-."

"1,2,3,4,5,6…" She interrupted him, and her counting could be heard even as Bilbo left her alone.

He went out in the dark to where Fili and Kili are watching the ponies. They were staring out into the dark and did not take the soup from Bilbo when he handed it to them. "What's the matter?" He asked the two.

"We're supposed to be looking out for the ponies." Kili replied, almost insatantly.

"Only we've encountered a slight problem." Fili finished.

"We had sixteen." "Now there's fourteen."

They all examined the group of ponies. "Daisy and Bungo are missing." Kili pointed out.

"Well, that's not good. That is not good at all." The hobbit laughed nervously. "Should we tell Thorin?"

"Uhh, no. Let's not worry him. As our official burglar, we thought you might like to look into it." Fili looked to him. Bilbo looked around and saw some trees recently uprooted and laying on the ground. "Well, uh...look, some-something big uprooted these trees."

"That was our thinking." Kili told.

"Something very big, and possibly quite dangerous." Bilbo also pointed out.

In the corner of Fili`s eye, something had immediately caught it. "Hey! There's a light. Over here! Stay down."

As the three of them quietly ran through the forest toward the light Fili had saw, and they hid behind a log when they realized that it was a fire. Harsh laughter sounds from near the fire.

"What is it?" Bilbo whispered to the brothers.

Kili glared at the light "Trolls."

The brothers ran toward the fire; Bilbo started to follow them, then returned to grab the two bowls of soup he left on the log. He then continued following them. Bilbo hid behind a tree and saw a massive mountain troll walking toward the fire, carrying a pony under each arm!

Bilbo`s eyes widened "He's got Myrtle and Minty! I think they're going to eat them, we have to do something."

The two snapped their heads to the hobbit "Yes; you should. Mountain trolls are slow and stupid, and you're so small." Kili slightly pushed him forward.

The poor hobbit`s breath hitched in his chest "N-n-no."

"They'll never see you."

"No, no, no..."

"It's perfectly safe! We'll be right behind you."

"If you run into trouble, hoot twice like a barn owl, once like a brown owl." Fili finally spoke up. Fili and Kili pushed Bilbo toward the fire. He began whispering Fili's instructions to himself, trying to remember them, but got mixed up.

"Twice like a barn owl, twice like a brown-once like a brown? Are you sure this is a good idea?" Bilbo turned around, but Fili and Kili were already out of sight. The three trolls, Tom, Bert, and William, sat around a fire on which a cauldron of something is cooking. Tom was the troll who brought the ponies. William had on a dirty vest. Bert was the cook and was wearing an apron.

"Mutton yesterday, mutton today, and blimey, if it don't look like mutton again tomorrow." Bert complained.

"Quit yer' griping. These ain't sheep. These is West Nags!" Tom argued.

"Oh, I don't like `orse. I never `ave. Not enough fat on them." William piped in.

"Well, it's better than the leathery old farmer. All skin and bone, he was. I'm still picking bits of him out of me teeth." William sneezed into the pot they have boiling over a fire.

"Oh, that's lovely, that is; a floater."

"Oh, might improve the flavor!"

"Ah! There's more where that came from." William began to sneeze more, but Bert grabbed him by the nose. Bilbo, unseen, got behind them.

"Oh no you don't." Bert threw William down. "Ow! Ow! Ow!" "Sit down." William sneezed again, this time into a handkerchief he pulled out from behind him. He sniffed for a long time. Bilbo, reaching the pen in which the ponies were held, attempted to untie the ropes. He hid as William turned towards him. "I hope you're gonna gut these nags. I don't like the stinky parts."

Bert hit William with his ladle, and William squealed in pain. "I said sit down!"

"I'm starving! Are we `aving horse tonight or what?"

"Shut your cakehole. You'll eat what I give ya'." As William pulled out his handkerchief, Bilbo saw long knife in his belt. Bilbo, unable to untie the ropes restraining the ponies, attempted to get the knife from the troll.

"How come 'e's the cook? Everything tastes the same. Everything tastes like chicken." Tom complained.

"Except the chicken." William pointed out.

"That tastes like fish!"

"I'm just saying, a little appreciation would be nice. 'Thank you very much, Bert,' 'Lovely stew, Bert'; how hard is that? Hmm, it just needs a sprinkle of squirrel dung." William picked up a mug of drink.

"There, that's my grog!" Bert snapped.

William paused, then laughed nervously "Uhh, uhh, sorry." Bert hit William with his ladle again, knocking him down. He got back up. Bert tasted the soup in his ladle.

"Ooh, that is beautifully balanced, that is." Bert let Tom taste some of the soup in the ladle; Tom gulped it down.

Bilbo got behind William and tries to reach for the knife, but William stood up and scratched his bottom. Bilbo bit his tongue to not hiss and looked away.

Tom began again "Me guts are grumbling, I've got to snaffle something. Flesh I need, flesh!"

William, about to sneeze, reached behind him for his handkerchief, but accidentally grabed Bilbo instead, and sneezed all over him!

The ugly creature screamed when he realized he was holding the hobbit "Argh! Blimey! Bert! Bert! Look what's come out of me 'ooter! It's got arms and legs and everything." The other trolls gathered around to take a look.

"What is it?" Tom asked.

"I don't know, but I don't like the way it wriggles around!" William stuttered in fear. The troll shook Bilbo, covered in snot, off the napkin and onto the ground. As Bilbo pulled himself up to run away, Tom picked his knife up and pointed it directly at Bilbo.

"What are you then? An oversized squirrel?"

"I'm a burglar- uhh, Hobbit!" He quickly covered, and prayed to the Green Lady they wouldn't notice.

"A Burgla-Hobbit?" William asked in awe.

"Can we cook `im?" Tom licked his lips.

"We can try!"

William tried to grab Bilbo, but he dodged, only to be cornered by Bert. "He wouldn't make more than a mouthful, not when he's skinned and boned!" Then, the three trolls erupted into a plethora of cries.

"Perhaps there's more Burglar-Hobbits around these parts. Might be enough for a pie."

"Grab him!"

"It's too quick!"

As the trolls tried to catch Bilbo, he ran around trying to dodge them. Bert accidentally hit William with his ladle while trying to hit Bilbo. Bilbo was eventually caught by the legs by Tom, and held upside down in the air!

"Gotcha!" A troll cheered "Are there any more of you little fellas `iding where you shouldn't?"

"Nope." Bilbo spoke, trying to hide the pain from the blood rushing to his head.

"He's lying." William grinned eerily, pointing to Bilbo.

"No I'm not!" Bilbo screamed.

"Hold his toes over the fire. Make him squeal."

"Help!"

Kili suddenly ran out of the bushes and sliced William in the leg, making him howl and fall down.

"Drop him!" The dwarf screamed.

"You what?" Tom growled.

Kili smirked, and played with his sword "I said, drop him!"

Tom threw Bilbo at Kili; Bilbo landed on the youngest dwarf, knocking them both down. The rest of the Company charged out of the bushes yelling and brandishing their weapons. They began fighting the trolls, hacking, slashing, and hammering their legs. As the dwarves fought, Bilbo grabbed William's knife and cuts the ropes, freeing the ponies. Tom, seeing this, grabbed the hobbit. The dwarves stopped fighting when they see the trolls holding Bilbo by the arms and legs!

"Bilbo!" Kili yelled, only taking one step to free the hobbit, only to be stopped by his uncle holding him back. "No,"

"Lay down your arms, or we'll rip his off." Tom warned.

Thorin looked at Bilbo`s begging face in frustration, then planted his sword in the ground. The others dropped their swords and weapons as well in frustration.

* * *

Something unknown had woken Liesel Hayward up from her sleep. It wasn't the cries from her neighbor, or even the small battle, her conscience just kept repeating " _Not good, not good, not good..."_

She stood herself up, and contemplated wrapping the blanket around her and walking around to find someone to ask if anything was wrong. She decided against it, and threw the blanket off, and started to tiptoe to the fire pit she was familiar with; until she heard a chorus of shouts. The girl instantly turned her head to the noise, and treaded to the noise and the light without thinking at all.

* * *

The trolls had tied several dwarves onto a spit and are roasting them over a fire; the rest were tied in separate sacks. Unknown to all of them, Liesel slowly walked at the edge of a thick tree, silently, yet fearfully, watching.

"Don't bother cooking them. Let's just sit on them and squash them into jelly." William suggested

"They should be sautéed and grilled with a sprinkle of sage." Bert corrected.

"Is this really necessary?" Dori shouted up to the trolls.

"Ooh, that does sound quite nice." They ignored him, but the dwarrows would not give up. "Untie us, you monsters!" "Take on someone your own size!" The dwarves on the spit and in the bags are all making noises and talking in fear.

"Never mind the seasoning; we ain't got all night! Dawn ain't far away, so let's get a move on. I don't fancy being turned to stone." Tom said.

Bilbo, hearing what Tom said, came up with an idea. "Wait! You are making a terrible mistake." Liesel saw Mr. Baggins standing up to the trolls, and she listened in closely.

"You can't reason with them, they're half-wits!" Dori warned Bilbo.

"Half-wits? What does that make us?" Bofur asked back.

Bilbo managed to stand up, although still tied up in a sack. He faced the trolls. "Uh, I meant with the, uh, with, uh, with the seasoning." The little girl furrowed her eyes in confusion.

"What about the seasoning?" One of the trolls asked.

The hobbit continued "Well have you smelt them? You're going to need something stronger than sage before you plate this lot up." The dwarves yelled at Bilbo, calling him a traitor. The ones in sacks kicked him. "What in the name of Valar is he doing?!" Liesel thought.

"What do you know about cooking dwarf?" Tom asked, obviously on edge.

"Shut up, and let the, uh, flurgaburburrahobbit talk." All of the trolls turned to Bilbo.

His face slightly fell, "Uh, th-the secret to cooking dwarf is, um-"

"Yes? Come on."

"It's, uh-"

"Tell us the secret."

"Ye-yes, I'm telling you, the secret is to.." He looked over to the dwarves, who were obviously in a state of shock. "..To skin them first!"

I would repeat a few of the phrases the dwarfs had shouted at the hobbit, but most of them had an exceeding amount of profanity.

Burt grinned "Tom, get me the filleting knife."

"If I get you, you little-" Gloin growled. "I won't forget that!" Dwalin joined.

While Bilbo was searching his surroundings as the trolls were looking around for the knife, his eye caught Little Liesel, quietly hiding behind a tree halfway, staring directly at them.

With her eyes, the girl sought the area for anything to help her; the closest weapon was Kili`s bow, and maybe she could yank an arrow out of the quiver if she was quick. She looked back up to Bilbo, who shook his head rapidly and was mouthing "No" over and over again. Instead of listening to him, she nodded her head, shaking, and tried her best to tiptoe.

She was quiet as a field mouse, until she snatched the bow and dashed behind the tree. Of course, this had brought attention to the trolls, and the dwarrows.

"What could have that been?" Tom asked.

Almost too quickly, Bilbo replied "Oh, nothing. It must be a rabbit."

William grinned at the lone tree, shielding the young hobbit. "No, I don`t smell rabbit. Smells like…" He sniffed the air "Maybe another Burgla-hobbit?"

Liesel`s breath caught in her throat as she felt the creature`s disgusting face move almost directly next to the tree, listening. She internally cursed herself for her breathing being too loud, and for not grabbing just one arrow. In an act of adrenaline, she took a nearby stone from off the ground and chucked it at an opposite tree; playing hide and seek for the most of her childhood had certainly payed off.

Two of the trolls dashed to where the rock is thrown, cheering and mocking the escaping stranger, but found nothing.

"Never mind that now." Bilbo spoke up again, distracting them. "Now, about the seasoning-."

"What a load of rubbish!" Tom interrupted the hobbit "I've eaten plenty with their skins on. Scuff them, I say, boots and all."

In a flash, Bilbo Baggins saw Gandalf himself slipping behind a few trees to them!

"`e's right!" William`s voice brought Bilbo back to the happening "Nothing wrong with a bit of raw dwarf!" William grabbed Bombur, who is in a sack, and dangles him upside down over his mouth, about to eat him. "Nice and crunchy." The poor, plump dwarf cried and winced as he was tangled upside down.

In a flash, Liesel dashed out of her hiding spot, and yanked an arrow out of Kili`s quiver, and into the bow. "Put him down!" She yelled.

The troll had been so startled, that he dropped poor old Bombur onto the pile of dwarves. The three trolls` attention was all on the little child with the bow.

"What`s this now? Another Burgla-hobbit?" Tom had unintentionally mocked the little hobbit.

"Yeah, but this one`s just a small, little girl." William taunted.

She glared at the ugly creatures, her grip on the bow and arrow tightening greatly, but not shooting; this had obviously been brought to a few of the others attention.

"What are you doing you stupid girl? Shoot it!" Gloin`s voice rang in Liesel`s ears, as she accidently let go of the arrow to look at the dwarf. The next thing she heard was William screeching a horrible noise as the arrow had merely poked him in the knee, but had still drawn blood.

She whipped her head to look at the monster, but was picked up by her legs, and now staring directly at William the troll. "Oh, I think this one would do nicely raw. Don`t ya think? Tender and fresh." The troll holding her spoke all at once, leaning her towards his mouth. The poor girl couldn't help but let out a fairly loud cry as she prepared for her doom.

"Not-not that one, she-she's infected!" Bilbo stammered the words out, hoping to save the child in time. The thirteen dwarves, three trolls, and other hobbit stared at Bilbo.

Tom had finally broken the silence "You what?"

"Yeah, she`s got worms in her … tubes."

William threw the poor thing onto the ground like a rotted piece of meat. When her body hit the ground, she still believes she heard a crack.

"In-in fact they all have, they're in-infested with parasites. It's a terrible business; I wouldn't risk it, I really wouldn't." He shakes his head, whooping in his head that his plan was successful. "Parasites, did he say parasites?" Gloin shouted at the hobbit.

Kili joined in "We don't have parasites! You have parasites!"

"What are you talking about, laddie?"

The rest of the dwarves chimed in about how they didn't have parasites and how Bilbo is a fool. Bilbo rolled his eyes as the dwarves foiled his plan. Liesel knew exactly what he was doing.

"Quiet, quiet, just play along." She whispered to them, but her whispers didn't reach their ears, even when they were alone a few inches away from her mouth.

Thankfully, Thorin, understanding Bilbo's plan, kicked the others. They stared at their king for a split second, then understood.

Oin was the first to speak. "I've got parasites as big as my arm."

"Mine are the biggest parasites, I've got huge parasites!"

"We're riddled." "Yes, I'm riddled." "Yes we are. Badly!"

One of the troll`s voice spoke "What would you have us do, then, let 'em all go?"

Bilbo shrugged his shoulders "Well…"

"You think I don't know what you're up to? This little ferret is taking us for fools!" The troll poked the hobbit in the chest, sending Bilbo to stagger a bit. "Ferret?" Bilbo squeaked back.

"Fools?"

"No good roasting `em now, it`d take all night," said a voice.

"Don`t the argument all over again, Bill." Bert turned to the other troll "or it _will_ take all night."

"Who`s a-arguing?" William stammered, thinking the voice was Bert`s.

"You are."

"You`re a liar!"

"Now stop it!" It had been Tom to break the small quarrel. "The night`s getting on and dawn comes early. Let`s get on with it!"

Gandalf appeared on top of a large rock. "The dawn will take you all!"

The dwarves held their breath in thankfulness as the trolls stared at the wizard in confusion. "Who`s that?"

"No idea."

"Can we eat `im too?"

Gandalf stroke the rock with his staff, splitting it in half, allowing the sunlight behind it to pour into the clearing. When the sunlight touched the trolls' skin, they began turning into stone amidst loud screams and howls of pain. Within seconds, there were three stone statues of trolls in the clearing. All the dwarves cheered for Gandalf.

"Oh, get your foot out of my back!" Dwalin, still on the spit above the fire, shouted.

* * *

 **Did any of you catch the little detail I added from the book? :)**


	8. My Friends don't walk, They run

One by one, the dwarves and hobbit were free from the sacks or from above the fire. Liesel had already known Bilbo would certainly give her an earful, so she found it wise to delay the lecture, and not be the one to free him; though he was directly in front of her, many times. Soon though, once he was released, he marched right over to her.

"Were you paying _any_ attention to what I had told you not to do?!" He tried to make himself look intimidating to her. But, by the look on her face, it seemed to have failed, or she would be an amazing performer. "In technicality, you hadn't told me to." A smirk flashed onto her lips. "Liesel, don`t you even dare to act stupid to get off." He sighed. "So," She drew out the 'O' "you wanted me to leave you to be feasted upon trolls?"

As the two continued to have a semi pathetic argument, Gandalf walked to one of the troll statues and thumped it with his staff, with a pleased smile on his face.

"Where did you go to, if I may ask?" Thorin walked up to the wizard, with the same stern look.

"To look ahead." Gandalf responded innocently. "What brought you back?"

"Looking behind. Nasty business. Still, they are all in one piece."

"No thanks to your burglar and helpless child." Thorin spat at the mention of the two hobbits.

"He had the nous to play for time. None of the rest of you thought of that. And Ms. Hayward made an excellent attempt; but, I will admit she needs to be quicker and more intelligent on her feet."

Thorin looked repentant. Gandalf and Thorin examined the statues of the trolls. "They must have come down from the Ettenmoors." Gandalf murmured.

"Since when do mountain trolls venture this far south?" Thorin asked the wizard.

"Oh, not for an age, not since a darker power ruled these lands." The man and dwarf look meaningfully at each other. "They could not have moved in daylight." Gandalf realized.

"There must be a cave nearby." Thorin spoke, and dashed to gather the company to search.

* * *

Liesel was told to search the many caves that were around the area, but instead of following a few of the dwarves in a group, she ventured off by herself. She hadn't known how long she had been away from the rest of the group, but she could only guess it had been enough for any of them (Mr. Baggins, most likely) to notice she was gone.

At her wandering, she found a single cave, and by judging of the size, she could tell that trolls could have barely fit insides; but, it was worth the searching. So, with that, she grabbed onto a part of the wall, and steadied herself in. Wait a minute, why were there so many flies there?

Unfortunately for her, she found out in the most unpleasant way.

The hobbit girl lost her footing as she walked down, and slipped and fell into an unknown, mushy substance. She groaned at the fall, and pushed herself up from the thing that slightly caught her fall. She looked down at her clothes; the white shirt was now covered in a putrid brown color, and most had also landed on her green skirt. Cursed mud!

In a frenzy, the frustrated child ran her hand down her covered face. What she had discovered after taking her hand away, and staring at the substance, caused her to do the only thing she wanted to do at that moment; the poor girl screamed as if she was being murdered.

The sharp and ear piercing scream no doubt reached the entire company in a matter of seconds. "Is that Miss Liesel?!" "Where did she go?" "What in Durin`s name did the girl do this time?!" "I told you she was gone, but nope! You didn't bother to listen to me!" Those were only a few says from the company as they followed the echoing scream. Sure enough, it led to a tiny girl shivering and holding herself as the entirety approached her. The dwarves quickly looked around at the area for any foes that took off, but could find no clues to it. As a few were annoyed at her sudden screeching at nothing, the more of them had to only take a glance at the younger hobbit and notice her appearance; the young princes were the first to burst out laughing. In turn, most of the company realized her feeble face, and let out deep chuckles.

Instead of crying, as the elders expected her too, she wiped off a chunk of it from her cheek, and spoke "Oh, you think that`s funny, do you?" A smirk ran across her lips as she said this, then dropped. "Well I`ll show you funny; get back here!" She instantly dashed to the two that laughed in her face first, but was held back as the took many steps back, still with ridiculous grins on their faces.

"Liesel Hayward, calm yourself!" Bilbo Baggins` familiar voice spoke, and tried his hardest to restrain the girl. Even after all of those years of after she worked herself to the bone for weeks, he was slightly amazed that she hadn't grown out of her childish temper.

Soon, the girl ran out of breath, and slumped back down onto the ground, careful of where she fell. Bilbo let go of her arms and backed away slowly after realizing how unbearably awkward everyone must have been feeling.

As they travelled deeper into the cave, many of the dwarves coughed and retched at the rancid smell. "Try falling face first into it, sirs." Liesel sassed at them only in her mind. Inside, they found piles of gold coins and other treasure in caskets!

"Be careful what you touch." Gandalf warned as the dwarves looked around the cave in awe.

"Seems a shame just to leave it lyin' around." Bofur spoke as gold coins brushed against his boots "Anyone could take it."

"Agreed. Nori, get a shovel." Gloin spoke, after opening a small chest full of riches.

While exploring, Thorin found two swords covered in cobwebs. Gandalf approached him. "These swords were not made by any troll." Thorin said, slightly breathless. He handed one sword to Gandalf and kept the other one. "Nor were they made by any smith among men." Gandalf drew the sword in his hand out of its sheath a few inches "These were forged in Gondolin by the High Elves of the First Age."

Realizing that they were Elven swords, Thorin started to put his away in disgust, but Gandalf stopped him. "You could not wish for a finer blade."

Reluctantly, Thorin held on to the sword. He drew it out of its sheath a few inches as well.

Liesel brushed some stray bright, brunette hair out of her face, and continued to search for anything worth taking, or 'using to your advantage' as Gloin quoted. As she was looking, her fingers brushed a smooth surface. She looked down at the discovery; it was slightly buried under the dirt, so she dug with her hands.

"And what are you doing?" Bilbo asked from right next to her.

Liesel slightly flinched, but looked up at him and gave a tiny grin. "I think I found something." He kneeled down next to her as she pulled the object from the ground and felt it. It was rougher as she felt it upwards, and she gripped the end; it was a sword.

She carefully pulled the handle out of the sheath, and it revealed to be a dirt covered blade. She pulled the sword fully out of the covering, surely enough, it was also caked with dirt.

Bilbo looked at her, then seemed to snap out of a sort of daze, and dug his hands into his coat pocket, and held a dainty tissue to her. She looked to it, and smiled a thanks to him. She took it, and started to wipe the mud and dirt off her sword.

"Oh, no." He slightly stammered. She stopped and gave him a questioning stare. "Oh, umm. You`ve still got some- right there." He pointed to a side of his face where the disgust was still on Liesel`s face.

Her lips formed into an 'O' shape, and she, quite roughly mind you, scraped the mess off her face. After the hobbit was done, she gave a lighter smile to Mr. Bilbo, and handed him back his tissue. "Thank you," She said in an odd, high pitch. The elder hobbit returned her grin, then instantly lost it when he glanced down at the cloth in disgust.

Some of the dwarves filled a chest with treasure, then buried it in a hole in the ground. Dwalin looked on in disgust.

"We're makin' a long-term deposit." Gloin excused.

Thorin stood himself up "Let's get out of this foul place. Come on, let's go. Bofur! Gloin! Nori!" On his way out, Gandalf stepped on something metallic. Brushing aside the leaves beneath him with his staff, he found another sword. Gandalf exited the cave and headed over to where Bilbo and Liesel were standing.

"Bilbo." Gandalf came up behind them.

"Hmm?" The two hobbits turned around to look at the wizard.

"Here. This is about your size." He handed the sword he found to Bilbo. A small smirk appeared on Liesel`s face.

The elder hobbit stared down at it, mouth slightly opened "I can't take this."

"The blade is of Elvish make which means it will glow blue when orcs or goblins are nearby."

"I have never used a sword in my life." He responded.

"Me neither." Liesel perked up. "Yes, and I am quite concerned about that." Bilbo turned and said to her.

"And I hope neither of you never have to. But if you do, remember this: true courage is about knowing not when to take a life, but when to spare one." The wizard gave the two hobbits a wry smile. Liesel was about to ask of what that saying was meant, but a loud rustling caught them off guard.

"Something`s coming!" The dwarf prince shouted.

Bilbo tensed "Gandalf-"

"Stay together! Hurry now. Arm yourselves." Gandalf ordered, and led the company to the sound. Liesel began to follow, but turned and saw that Bilbo wasn't moving. She thought of tapping on his shoulder to warn him, but looked back, and made her decision to leave, while unsheathing her blade.

When she left, Bilbo slowly drew his sword and looked at it in utter amazement. He then followed the others.

* * *

"Thieves! Fire! MURDER!" An old, shabby looking man, who rode on a sled led by rabbits mind you, popped out from the shrubs, and landed directly right in front of the company, who were expecting something more beastly.

"Radagast!" Gandalf let out a sigh of relief as the others dropped their weapons "Radagast the Brown. Ah. What on earth are you doing here?"

"I was looking for you, Gandalf. Something's wrong. Something's terribly wrong."

"Yes?"

Radagast opened his mouth to speak, but shut it. He opened his mouth again, but closed it again. Had he forgotten what he was going to say? "Oh, just give me a minute. Um, oh, I had a thought, and now I've lost it. It was, it was right there, on the tip of my tongue." He curled up his tongue, and looked surprised. "Oh, it's not a thought at all; it's a silly old..." Gandalf pulled a stick insect out of Radagast's mouth.

"-stick insect!"

The dwarves and two hobbits looked flustered. Radagast and Gandalf went off a few paces and spoke privately.

As the two wizards wandered and spoke upon matters Liesel thought she would never figure out, she had the small urge to wash her new sword and perhaps change out of her waste ridden clothes; there had been nothing for her to do, as she knew. So quietly, the small girl snuck away with her gear as the dwarves talked among themselves.

* * *

The sound of running water had never brought so much happiness to Little Liesel before. She ran to the water, and had to physically stop herself from walking into the water and resting in it like on many summer days. Instinctively, she looked around herself for any possible eyes; she often heard of hobbits her age being caught with most of their dresses short, and turned paranoid because of it. Satisfied of being alone, she stripped herself of her skirt and blouse, then quickly put on a light shade of rose dress. She sunk her dirty clothes into the water, then pulled her sword open. Had this one been made by elves? She would have to ask Gandalf; surely _he_ would know.

As she gently laid the sword in the river, Liesel`s stomach had felt it turned into a small knot; something wasn't right. "What now?" She groaned in her mind.

Still, she ignored the nagging suspicion, and continued to clean her new weapon. "Hadn't Gandalf mention names of swords?" The girl thought. She must find out if she had one, otherwise, could she name it herself?

As she thought, she did not notice the weapon was more than clean, until one factor stroke her like a hit to the stomach; the blade was a light blue color. The girl`s breath hitched in her throat, remembering Gandalf`s exact words only minutes ago: _"_ _The blade is of Elvish make which means it will glow blue when orcs or goblins are nearby."_

In an instant, the halfling whipped her head up, expecting an orc or Valar knows what in front of her; but there was nothing. She would not give up, she searched and searched for any little sign of creatures, until she finally found it. There perhaps a few meters from across the water, with it and the monster it rode`s back turned to her, was an orc, and a warg.

The poor girl found herself trembling in fear of what comes next. But, she kept her balance, and silently as possible, grabbed her sword from the pond, her bag and her sheath, then quietly and slowly backed away from the monsters; not turning her back on them, until she believed it was the time for her to run.

* * *

A howl was heard in the distance exactly right after the two wizards finished speaking. No one noticed Liesel had left.

Bilbo snapped his head to where the howl echoed and spoke nervously "Was that a wolf? Are there-are there wolves out there?"

Bofur walked ahead to listen better "Wolves? No, that is not a wolf."

A crack behind a clump of trees alerted the company to a warg, who jumped into the midst of them, knocking down one of the dwarves. Thorin stroked and killed it using Orcrist.

Out of the blue, a small flash of pink ran into and knocked over a dwarrow, falling down with him; it was Liesel, breathing heavily. Before anyone could have the time to shout where she had been, another Warg attacked from the other side; Bofur pulled the girl up as Kili shot it with an arrow, bringing it down. However, it got back up, only to be killed by Dwalin.

"Warg-Scouts!" Thorin pulled his sword out of the beast`s head "Which means an Orc pack is not far behind."

"Orc pack?" Bilbo and Liesel squeaked.

"Who did you tell about your quest, beyond your kin?" Gandalf asked the king urgently.

Thorin paused in slight tremor "No one."

"Who did you tell?!" He barked.

"No one, I swear. What in Durin's name is going on?"

"You are being hunted."

"We have to get out of here." Dwalin spat.

"We can't!" Ori and Bifur ran "We have no ponies; they bolted!" The two hobbits and many dwarves either rolled their eyes or groaned.

"I'll draw them off." Radagast offered suddenly, and with no hesitance.

"These are Gundabad Wargs; they will outrun you." Gandalf protested.

" _These_ are Rhosgobel Rabbits; I`d like to see them try." A smirk pulled onto the man`s face.

* * *

The orc leader of the Warg Riders, and his Wargs were searching through the forest for the Company; suddenly, Radagast and his rabbits shot out of the forest, and the Wargs started chasing him! "Come and get me! Ha ha!" The wizard laughed at them.

Gandalf watched from behind a rock as Radagast and the Wargs disappeared in the distance. "Come on!" "Move!"

The Company rushed across a rocky plain; Liesel tripped over herself, but luckily, Bifur caught her by the hand and pulled onto her the whole time. In the distance, Radagast was being chased by the Wargs.

As the Company ran across the plain, they saw the Wargs not too far from them. "Stay together." Gandalf breathed.

"Move!" Thorin barked once more.

The group ran and ran more and more, faster and faster. They used their sense to sprint behind rocks to avoid being seen, but one of the youngest dwarves ran to far ahead where a rock ended. "Ori, no! Come back!" Thorin grabbed the youngling by the pack and pulled him.

"Come on! Quick!" Gandalf led the company.

Thorin turned to Gandalf. "Where are you leading us?" The wizard doesn't answer, and the dwarf rolled his eyes but followed.

As the Warg scouts chased Radagast, one of them stops and sniffed the air. The dwarves took cover behind an outcropping of rock. The scout and his Warg appeared on top of the outcropping, right above Liesel and Bilbo`s heads. Thorin looked at Kili and nodded. Readying an arrow, Kili dashed out and shot the Warg. The Warg and the orc on it fall near the dwarves.

The screams of both the rider and creature were the first noises Liesel could never unhear. The orc rushed to the company to attack, but was stopped by Dwalin`s axe and Bifur`s spear.

The female hobbit`s eyes were big as plates the entire fight. She couldn't hold her struggling breaths in as the two were slaughtered. She knew, of course, that it was to either kill or be killed, but she hadn't known it to be brutal. She herself knew she would need to be used to this, and that the monsters were willing to murder all of them in their sleep.

She was so frozen with terror, that the howls and yelling of the orcs went silent in her ears.

Gandalf turned toward the direction of the approaching animals "Move. Run!"

As the company began to sprint, Bilbo took Liesel`s hand in his and ran, quickly dragging her behind him; he glanced at her right next to him as the orc was being slaughtered and noticed her eyes.

They ran through the grassy plain as the Wargs began to surround them from all sides. "There they are!" Gloin yelled and pointed to the beasts.

"This way! Quickly!" Gandalf shouted to the company. They ran for a while longer; Liesel`s hand slipped out of Bilbo`s when they halted, for more wargs surrounded them!

"There's more coming!" Kili shouted as he caught up to the group.

"Kili! Shoot them!" Thorin commanded.

"We're surrounded!" Fili shouted back. His brother began shooting at the Warg and the Warg-riders, killing some of them.

"Where is Gandalf?" Kili shouted when he retreated to the majority.

"He has abandoned us!" Dwalin spat.

The dwarves were slowly being closed in. As the leader called Yazneg approached Ori. The young dwarf aimed and fired a direct hit to the head at the warg; unfortunately, it was only a rock.

Yazneg smirked devilishly at the dwarf, and began to close in on him too. " _What tender skin this filth has; I am sure you will quite enjoy it."_ He spoke to his steed.

Before the brute could come any closer to the helpless Ori, Liesel had left the dwarves` side, and sprinted up right in front of Ori in an attempt to protect him.

The girl rose her sword above head to strike at the orc, but Yazneg pierced his sword through her dress, and onto her right leg.

She fell to the ground, along with dropping her sword, but on adrenaline, picked her blade back up, and slashed one of the warg`s eye, temporarily blinding him, then pulled herself up with her sword and used it as a cane to scatter away.

Ori pulled her along with him as she limped and leaned on him. They stopped once they shortly made it back to the group of dwarves; now was not the time to treat, or worry so much about the foolish girl.

"Hold your ground!" Thorin barked, and whipped out Orcrist, and held it up in front of him.

As all hope seemed lost, Gandalf popped up from a rock directly behind the company "This way, you fools!"

Every single person snapped their heads to the wizard who surprised them. "Come on, move! Quickly, all of you! Go, go, go!" Thorin shouted. The dwarves, Liesel, and Bilbo slid into the large crack. The little girl was one of the last ones to be pushed in instead of willingly rolling down.

When she came to a complete stop, her eyes were on the tip of her tears flooding down her face, but she bit her tongue to keep quiet as a few members had crowded around her.

"Bring her here," Oin spoke from behind them. Bilbo used all of his strength to hoist her up from under her arms, while Fili and Bofur gently grabbed her legs.

They sat her down against the rock-hard wall, and moved away to give Oin space to treat her. He hunched down right next to her right leg, and picked it up off the floor. Liesel gasped at the sudden pain, and slightly winced. In all truthfulness, she wanted to scream and cry, but no, she wouldn't make herself to appear helpless.

"Not poisoned, thank goodness." Oin grabbed his sack from behind him, and pulled a small, clear vile out of one of the smaller pockets. He looked at the child straight in the eye "This`ll sting."

Her painful screech from the liquid to her leg was merely silenced as Thorin from the surface slashed a warg that had gotten too close to the crack. An arrow that shot an orc perfectly in the nose, snapped the king`s attention to his nephew in the distance. He began to load another arrow, until-

"Kili! Run!" The prince turned around to see his uncle, and bolted to him. Thorin and Kili jumped into the crack last.

Liesel did not simply care that tears were flying down her face, and she was sobbing and bumbling like a child. When Thorin`s gaze drifted to the girl, his eyes hardened.

"You" he hissed to the elder hobbit right next to her "quiet her down before she gets us all killed."

Bilbo`s mouth slightly opened in shock of having to now _comfort_ the girl. He certainly tired his best.

He kneeled down to her height and placed (hovered) his hand on her shoulder. "Shh, shh, Liesel, Liesel, I need you to be quiet now, alright?" The girl still cried through the pain of her leg. The hobbit looked up through the crack, and could barely see the outline of a beast`s body.

"I am so sorry." He apologized, then clamped his hand over her mouth to silence her. In all surprise, not once had she attempted to remove his hand.

Just as Yazneg and his Wargs reached the crack, an Elvish horn sounded! A group of mounted Elves rushed into the fray, shooting and spearing the Wargs and Orcs. The Company listened to the conflict from inside the crack. One of the orcs, shot by an arrow, fell into the cave. The company scattered out of the way, and Bilbo`s grip unintentionally tightened on Liesel. Once the wizard made sure it was not alive, Thorin plucked out the arrow and examined its make.

"Elves." He hissed, and glared at the wizard. The bitter silence was broken by Dwalin. "I cannot see where the pathway leads. Do we follow it or no?"

"Follow it, of course!" Bofur replied, and all other dwarves mumbled in agreement and began to follow through.

"I think that would be wise." Gandalf responded as Bilbo and a few other dwarfs gently helped the poor girl up, and helped her walk.

* * *

 **Alright, alright, I knew I owed you guys a long chapter. I was tempted to cut it before the warg pounced from the rock, but Jimminy Cricket got the better of me. So, I may or may not have a few tiny tricks up my sleeve for Rivendell, and cheesy interactions. Soooooo, Liesel`s injured, not really sure how I handled it. On one hand, I made her herself for wanting to help someone she cares about, but on the other hand she failed miserably; so in total, I guess it was a realistic outcome? Oh and**

 **HAPPY EASTER! ;)**


	9. Teach Me to be More Adaptive

" **Raise a glass to freedom, something they can never take away-!" Well, actually, summer vacation doesn't last forever, but let me just believe, dang it! Anyway, this chapter and the next may or may not contain filler in Rivendell, but oh well. But a little silver lining, there`s two (obvious) cameos from LOTR! yay.**

 **Also, a few updates for future stories.**

 **I`m inspired to write an "** _ **Outsiders"**_ **fanfic. I remember wanting to write on earlier but A- I didn`t for some reason, and B- it won`t be my original idea this time. Just so you know, when I say "original" I mean "My first draft."**

 **I`m also thinking of writing two** _ **"Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them"**_ **fanfics, but one is about the little girl in Sudan, and the other is something pretty much nobody but I asked for. So, the one where nobody but I asked for was originally going to be written first, but I`m leaning to the one with about the little girl in Sudan. But, this doesn't mean I`ll write it at this exact moment.**

* * *

The Company continued to follow the path, some falling behind because of either helping poor Liesel walk, or, for the most part, getting stuck between rocks. For being one of the smallest, it would have been an advantage for Bilbo, unless he hadn't volunteered his turn to help Liesel.

"Gandalf, where are we?" He asked, struggling to hold his walking stick in one hand, and the other gripping Liesel`s shoulder as she leaned on the wall to steady herself.

"You can feel it?" The wizard asked, minorly surprised.

"Yes. It feels like," He stopped, letting go of the little girl`s shoulder as she continued in distant thought. Bilbo finally found the words "it feels, more like magic."

Gandalf shook his head "That`s exactly what it is, a very powerful kind of magic."

The two exchanged glances for a short time, until Dwalin called up from the front, "There`s light up ahead," and they proceeded to walk out of the narrow pathway, and onto a wide, open area. If you were there, and looked down, there would lie the most magnificent establishment I`d ever lay eyes on.

"The Valley of Imraldis. In the Common Tongue, it's known by another name." Gandalf said.

"Rivendell." Bilbo spoke, staring solely at the city. Much like the disturbing creatures, he had only heard and read of them in books, and stories from his family on occasion. But _this,_ this was something he couldn't even dream to imagine.

The same had went for Little Liesel Hayward. Only in books and her father`s letters were sights ever known to her. Even when she was much smaller, and her feet had no hair, her mother would take her to The Green Dragon bar as she worked, and the hobbit child would listen to various stories about men rescuing princess, or them stealing from the rich.

Gandalf went on "Here lies the last Homely House east of the sea."

Thorin turned sharply to the wizard as everyone looked on in awe "This was your plan all along, to seek refuge with our enemy."

"You have no enemies here, Thorin Oakenshield. The only ill-will to be found in this valley is that which you bring yourself."

"You think the Elves will give our quest their blessing? They will try to stop us." The King under the mountain spat.

"Of course, they will. But we have questions that need to be answered, and injured to be attended to." Gandalf stole a glance at Liesel, who was fighting herself to stand, Fili helping her.

He looked back "If we are to be successful, this will need to be handled with tact and respect and no small degree of charm. Which is why you will leave the talking to me." With a wry smile, the wizard led on, and the dwarves and hobbits followed afterward, trailing down a noble set of stairs. The injured girl soon became more aggressive as she walked down, refusing to any help as she let out short little gasps with almost every step; but, they eventually let her alone until reaching solid ground.

The Company walked across a bridge and entered Rivendell, a few elves are seen strolling about. Bilbo, mouth agape, gawked at the beautiful details all around him; even the light atmosphere seemed to make the little girl forget her slight injury.

"Mithrandir." A dark-haired elf walked down a flight of stairs and greeted them.

"Ah, Lindir!" Gandalf said, as if greeting an old friend.

As Lindir and Gandalf greet each other, the dwarves murmur amongst themselves in distrust, while the only hobbits in the company stared at the elf in pure awe.

"Stay sharp." Thorin whispered to Dwalin.

Lindir then spoke a phrase in a language only Gandalf the Grey could understand out of all of them. After, he responded, "I must speak with Lord Elrond."

"My lord Elrond is not here."

"Not here? Where is he?"

As if to answer his question, the Elvish horns from earlier were heard. The Company turns around and they saw a group of armed horsemen approaching along the bridge at a rapid rate!

The dwarf king yelled in his language, then the rest began to bunch up together to form a tight circle. Bofur pulled Bilbo and Liesel into the middle, and were squashed as the dwarves armed their weapons. The mounted Elves arrived and rode around the dwarves. Eventually, they stopped and one elf, Elrond, separated himself from the others. "Gandalf."

The wizard bowed gracefully "Lord Elrond." The two continued to speak to each other in Elf tongue, much to the dismay of the whole company.

Finally, Elrond spoke again "Strange for Orcs to come so close to our borders. Something, or someone, has drawn them near." He held up an Orc sword and shown it to everyone, then handed it to Lindir.

"Ah, that may have been us." Gandalf spoke, sheepishly.

Thorin stepped forward, and Elrond looked upon him with recognition. "Welcome Thorin, son of Thrain." "I do not believe we have met." Thorin stared at the floor, then at last looked up to Elrond.

"You have your grandfather's bearing. I knew Thror when he ruled under the Mountain."

"Indeed; he made no mention of you."

Liesel softly sighed. "You`ve got to be joking." She softly whispered to herself. The band of dwarves and hobbits stared expectantly for the retort or answer the Elf would give to Throin`s insult.

Instead, Elrond glared at the dwarves and spoke something in his tongue that sounded quite threatening if you ask me.

"What is he saying? Does he offer us insult?!" Gloin growled in anger, causing the other dwarves to become angry, clutching their weapons close.

"No, master Gloin, he's offering you food." Gandalf corrected, sounding exasperated.

With that, all of the dwarves stopped for a few seconds, then turned to discuss amongst themselves.

"Why on earth are they discussing?!" Liesel nearly shouted to Bilbo, who was right next to her.

Before the elder hobbit could respond, the dwarves turned around, and Gloin spoke up, "Well, in that case, lead on."

* * *

So, the Lord Elrond led the company of Thorin Okenshield through the majestic halls of Rivendell. Embarrassed to say, Liesel and Bilbo had to be reminded multiple times not to dawdle and gaze astonished at the artwork on the wall. Soon, they reached a picturesque dining area, with food already placed out on the tables. The dwarves rushed to the closest tables they were at and sat down hastily. As for the two hobbits, they calmly walked to any given table with at least one open chair.

After the dwarves stopped acting like little children in a candy store, they finally realized what they have been served; many types of fruits and vegetables to go around. While the dwarves looked on in disgust, Bilbo and Liesel were the only ones to eat happily out of them.

"Try it, just a mouthful." Dori tried coaxing the young Ori to eat a piece of lettuce. "I don`t like green food." The small dwarf slightly whined.

Dwalin picked through a small salad, searching for something. "Where`s the meat?" He grumbled. The little girl couldn't help but giggle as she saw Oin look at a vegetable on his fork like an alien object.

"Have they got any chips?" Ori asked, full of hope.

Then, Elrond, Gandalf, and Throin joined the small gathering. "Kind of you to invite us. I`m not really dressed for dinner." Gandalf spoke humorously. "Well, you never are." The elf spoke back. The two laughed and took their spots at the table.

A small group of elf-women were playing the harps and flutes; to Liesel, they played very beautifully, even being jealous for a mere second that they could play any instrument. Soon, she and Kili caught a fairly young maiden staring at Kili through her harp. To humor her, the prince gave her a wry smile, and winked. The elf-maiden dropped her gaze and smiled.

Dwalin, right across from Kili, noticed the small exchange; let`s just say from his look, he wasn't entirely amused. "Can`t say I fancy elf-maids myself, too thin." He attempted to cover up. Dwalin raised his eyebrows, and Liesel nodded her head as if saying "Oh really?"

"They`re all high cheek bones, and creamy skin, not so much facial hair for me. Although, that one there`s not bad." He tilted his head to an elf walking behind him.

Liesel looked up to see what she looked like; oh, what the little girl said next. "He does look like a match for you." Alarmed at her words, Kili turned his head to reveal the elf-maiden he "fancied", was a he. When he turned back around to look at Liesel, he found the little girl drinking from her glass with the biggest smile on her face.

The table erupted in laughter from the dwarves, as Kili pursed his lips and avoided eye-contact with anyone. "That`s funny, that`s really funny, Lise." He spoke with irony.

Meanwhile, another elf lady was playing a flute near Oin. Seemingly upset about the noise, the older dwarf snatched a napkin, stuffed it into his hearing trumpet, then put the trumped back into his ear, smiling at the lack of sound from the flute.

Still during the feast, Elrond studied the swords Gandalf and Thorin recovered at the trolls' cave. "This is Orcrist, the Goblin Cleaver. A famous blade, forged by the High Elves of the West, my kin. May it serve you well." Elrond handed Orcrist back to Thorin, who accepted it with a nod. Elrond then examines the sword Gandalf found.

"And this is Glamdring, the Foe-hammer, sword of the King of Gondolin. These swords were made for the goblin wars of the First Age..."

Near them, Bilbo stares down at his own sword multiple times, before finally unsheathing it with intentions to show to the elf.

"I wouldn't bother, laddie." Balin stops him "Swords are named for the great deeds they do in war."

"What are you saying, my sword hasn't seen battle?" Bilbo asked.

"I'm not actually sure it is a sword; more of a letter opener, really." He spoke, to which Bilbo furrowed his eyes.

"How did you come by these?" Elrond questioned Gandalf.

"We found them in a troll hoard on the Great East Road, shortly before we were ambushed by orcs."

"And what were you doing on the Great East Road?"

Not one person answered. Thorin broke the silence by uttering "Excuse me," and left the table. The wizard and Elf-Lord watched the haughty dwarf leave the courtyard, until Elrond spoke again.

"Thirteen dwarves, and two halflings, one not being of age yet; strange traveling companions, Gandalf." He took a sip from his drink.

"These are the descendants from the house of Durin! They`re noble, ancient folk."

Liesel swore she saw one of the dwarrows steal a spice shaker from the table.

"And they`re quite conscious." The wizard continued, as Bombur stuffed his face. "They have a deep love of the arts-."

"Change the tune, why don`t you! I feel like I`m at a funeral!" Nori told an elf playing the harp.

"Did somebody die?" Oin asked, looking around fearfully.

"Alright lads, there`s only one thing for it." Bofur spoke, then proceeded to climb out of his chair, and onto the table.

"He`s doing something, what is he doing?" Liesel asked confusedly, but got no response as the dwarves glimmered up at Bofur.

" _There`s an inn, there`s an inn, there`s a merry old inn,_

 _Beneath the old grey hill,_

 _And there they brew a beer so brown,_

 _The man in the moon himself came down_

 _One night to drink his fill!_

 _Oh, the ostler has a tipsy cat_

 _That plays a five-string fiddle,_

 _And up and down he saws his bow_

 _No squeaking high_

 _Now purring low_

 _Now sawing in the middle_

 _So, the cat and fiddle play_

" _Hey Diddle Diddle,"_

 _A jig that`ll wake the dead_

 _He squeaked and he sawed_

 _And he quickened the tune_

 _And the landlord shook the Man in the Moon_

" _It`s after three!" He said."_

As the dwarves joined into the song, many of the food from the bowls were now flying through the air, hitting many of the dwarves and almost the elves. Bilbo hid himself and tried to make him as small as he could.

But acting the opposite, Liesel couldn't stop herself from smiling and laughing at how ridiculous it looked to her. When the dwarves started the last verse, she couldn't help herself but to sing along to the words she forgot but heard long ago as a child.

" _Now quicker the fiddle went:_

" _Deedle-dum-diddle"_

 _The dog began to roar._

 _The cows and horses_

 _Stood on their heads,_

 _The guests all bounded from_

 _Their beds, and danced_

 _Upon the floor._

 _The round moon rolled_

 _Behind the hill,_

 _As the sun raised up her head._

 _She hardly believed her fiery eyes,_

 _For though it was day, to her surprise-_

 _They all went back to bed!_

The song finally ended in merry cheers and applauds (and also, shrill laughter from Liesel). In fact, the aftermath had been so noisy, that no one noticed an absolute breath-taking elf maiden approach Lord Elrond.

"Father," the girl finally spoke up. Elrond and Gandalf turned their heads to the woman`s voice. The Lord gave her a small grin. "Ah, Arwen." He turned back to the dwarves "Gentlemen," He commanded in a louder voice; the crowd of dwarves, and one halfling, stood in silence and looked to him.

"This is my dear, and only daughter, Arwen. I assume every single one of you will treat her with utmost benevolence." He spoke, eyeing particularly at the table Bofur and Kili sat at.

Arwen smiled at him, then stepped forward. "Thank you, father. If I am mistaken, I`ve heard that a little one is wounded." All heads turned to Liesel, who was following Bilbo`s lead, and tried to make herself appear small. Arwen gave the little girl a grin at her supposed innocence, and slowly walked towards her, all eyes following the maiden`s every move.

"Now, how about we clean that lovely face up?" She held her hand out to Liesel. The hobbit looked all around her, then hesitantly placed her small hand in Arwen`s immense one. She hopped off the stool, and forced herself to stand tall, even on her wobbly leg.

"Goodbye, little one." She heard Kili snicker. She stopped right in her tracks as the dwarves chuckled at her. She was speechless at what to retort back, that Arwen accidently dragged her off her feet.

"Sorry," She quickly apologized as they treaded away from the courtyard.

"It`s fine, I wish I could say that`s the worst that happened today." She tried to joke, but all that came from Arwen was a slightly stunned glance. Liesel dropped her gaze to the floor "I`m sorry."

Arwen soon brought the girl to a door. When she opened it, it led into a scenic room, where the furniture was much smaller than Little Liesel expected.

"This was my room as a child. I`d thought that you would appreciate it more, considering…" She trailed off, noticing what she was meant to say.

"It`s beautiful." Liesel said, and turned to Arwen grinning from ear to ear. The lady returned her smile, then took her hand again and led her behind a screen; behind it was a tub filled to the brim with pristine water, and beside it was a vile of some medicine, a pair of scissors, and a roll of bandages.

Liesel`s grin fell to a cringe at the appliances. Arwen led her near the bandages and pale, and sat her down on the floor. The elf sat down across from her, and reached for the little girl`s leg. Once she gripped the foot gently, and slightly pulled the skirt up enough to see the damage, Liesel flinched and pulled her leg away, involuntarily.

"I`m sorry, may I look at it?" Arwen asked softly; too softly. Liesel slowly nodded, then brought her leg out again; this was ridiculous, it was just a small cut on her leg, why was she being so melodramatic?

Even so, Arwen pulled Liesel`s skirt up, and looked at the bandage around her ankle. "This bandage is poorly tied." Arwen spoke aloud while carefully untying the loose dressing. The little girl was hesitant as she looked down at her wound, but alas, it wasn't as bad as the two had thought.

"At least he knew to disinfect the wound." Arwen spoke again, then looked up to Liesel "All we need to do is tie new bandages." She smiled at the child, then reached for the roll.

"You`re name is Liesel Hayward, am I correct?" She asked as she wrapped layers around the cut. Liesel nodded. "It is a pretty name, for a sweet hobbit." Arwen complimented.

The young girl tittered "A lot would think otherwise."

"Why?"

"I`m not sweet."

"I`m sure you are."

"I`ve only been away from home for a few days, and I`m sure they don't think of me as 'sweet'." Liesel giggled, causing Arwen to join in on the laughter.

After she clipped the bandages, Arwen pointed to the tub. "The bath`s just been filled, I`m sure you`d like to wash yourself?" Liesel nodded her head, with a smile. Arwen returned the smile, and stood up from her spot on the floor.

"Leave your clothes outside, and I`ll have them washed and returned to you by this evening. Is there anything else you need?" Arwen turned as she neared the door. Liesel shook her head once again "Thank you, for everything, miss."

Arwen smiled at the child. "You may call me Arwen, little one." Her smile grew wider as she left when Liesel scoffed at the nickname.

Once the door closed, Liesel explored the room more before bathing. She pushed her hand on the bed, and felt that it was softer than hers back in the Shire. There was also a petite vanity near the bed. As Liesel passed by it, she walked closer to make sure she wasn't going mad at the reflection.

Everything about her made the girl question if the girl she was staring at even _was_ Liesel. Her hair was tied in more knots than she could count, and was greasier than she could ever remember it was. She also found it slightly unsettling how she had more bruises on her face more than she ever had when she was younger.

Still, the young girl pulled her garments off, quickly placed them out the door, then gently placed herself in the bath, savoring the hot water on her skin. She soon lied on her back, the water just beneath her chin, and let out a small sigh. The more the minutes went by, the lower her eyes dropped until she fully closed them.

* * *

Obvious to say, Bilbo wanted to detach himself from the company and to maybe sightsee; only a few days into the journey, and he already had enough of dwarves, besides, he was sure they weren't staying for long. No, they never ever do anything decent for long. He decided to have a look around the building he already was in, but to perhaps travel to different floors.

He had already visited the library, and had a good read, before climbing a set of stairs to the second level. The first artifact he saw no doubt captivated him; a statue holding a completely shattered sword with its remains were on a plate. The hobbit slowly followed his eyes up to the face of the statute, and felt a sudden sense that she was staring at something.

Bilbo followed her gaze to a mural right across from them. With curiosity, the halfling stepped farther to get a better look. The picture depicted of war, but not of one army fighting the other, no, the painting was of a giant fighting a seemingly helpless man on the ground. The monster obviously towered over the man, but the sword from the injured knight looked to be more powerful.

I have heard people say that art is effective to the oddest of people; that set of people would certainly include Mr. Baggins. Visually, he only saw a painting, a still shot from someone`s imagination. But, he can still remember that the only things he heard were the clashing of shields, screaming from wounded men, and other unsettling imageries. One object so out of the ordinary seemed to perhaps attract to him the most, on the giant`s right hand, a golden ring he wore.

Deciding that he possibly needed to step into the outside and not be shut in the houses, he explored more of the gardens. They were nothing like the ones he had ever seen in the Shire, even the nasty Sackville-Baggins`, who always seemed to be so uptight about everything.

So, as the day slowly went on, he relaxed more and more at the beautiful visuals from the small flowers, to the large waterfall. Somehow, he had made it bag to one of the many houses in Rivendell, only to walk to the top floor, and to stare at the entirety of the city from a balcony.

He was so inclined to the view, that he only realized the Elf king was behind him when he spoke and stood right next to him.

"Not with your companions?" He asked.

Bilbo turned, and stammered "Uh, I-I shan`t be missed." He paused, until finally saying "The truth is, most of them don`t think I should be on this journey."

"What of the child?"

"Pardon?"

"The little one, I would assume she`d be close to you."

Bilbo thought for a moment then shrugged. "We-we help each other, from time to time."

The King stared off behind Bilbo "Indeed? I`ve heard that hobbits are very resilient."

Bilbo scoffed, of course he thought _Liesel_ was, but him? No, sir.

After no acknowledgment came from Elrond, Bilbo stared up at the man, and went through a range of facial expressions, before saying "Really?"

He slightly nodded, then continued "I`ve also heard that they are fond of the comforts of home."

Bilbo held himself up higher, trying not to show that home was the only thing he longed for. "I also heard it`s unwise to seek the council of elves. For they will answer with 'yes' and 'no'." Bilbo slightly smirked, but it quickly fell after he just noticed what he just said.

Elrond moved from the balcony ledge to face Bilbo. He put his hand on his shoulder "You and the child are very welcome to stay here, if that is your wish." And with that, he left to attend to what the dwarves might have been doing, leaving Bilbo in a frozen state at the possibility of home.

* * *

"Miss Liesel, are you in there?"

The voice snapped open the young hobbit`s eyes, only to find them underwater. The poor girl gasped and instantly coughed when she sat herself up quickly. There was a knock on the door, and Arwen`s voice came. "Liesel, are you alright?"

She got out of the tub, but lost her footing as she was getting out, and slipped. She pulled herself up and grabbed a towel from the vanity, and pulled it over herself, before cracking the door open.

"Oh, hello." She cracked a smile at the elf.

"Is everything okay in there?" She asked, concerning eyes staring down at the young girl.

Liesel nodded, still smiling "Yes, I was just tired and the knock woke me up."

"Oh, I apologize-."

"No, believe me I needed to wake up."

Arwen slowly nodded, then remembered what she had brought for the little girl. "I brought you a dress I thought you could wear." She handed Liesel a folded gown.

The girl took it and continued to smile at Arwen. "Thank you," she said sweetly.

Arwen nodded down at her, then placed a hand on her shoulder. "I`ll stay out here until you are ready, then we`ll see about that hair of yours."

Liesel nodded again, and let Arwen close the door. Liesel took the towel off of her, then pulled the obvious child`s dress onto her. The gown was, thankfully, only just a little big on her, but it still fit on her small figure. The light pinkness also had somewhat of an effect on her skin. When she was perfectly into the dress, she pulled the door open to see Arwen still outside.

"It looks beautiful on you. It`s not too tight, is it? Too big?" She questioned. Liesel shook her head "Can you help me? I think there`s still some knots in my hair." "Of course." Arwen smiled and entered the room.

Liesel sat down in front of the vanity, while Arwen pulled a drawer open from behind her, and took a hairbrush out. "What do you have in mind?" She asked, beginning to run the brush through the hobbit`s hair.

"I don`t know. Surprise- ah!" The girl hissed when she felt a harsh tug in her hair.

"Sorry, you have large knots."

"I know, but it still hurts."

"Grow your hair down to your waist, and then tell me about your hair hurting."

The two giggled, and Arwen continued to roughly drag the brush through Liesel`s hair. Once she had adapted to the constant hair pulling, Liesel noticed Arwen staring solely hair, with a quite odd smile on her face.

"Why are you smiling like that?" Liesel perked up the courage to ask.

Arwen snapped out like she was in a trance, and her face fell. "What? What smile?"

"You were smiling like…" She trailed off, deciding against her thought.

The elf-maiden sighed, and continued on for a little while just running the brush through Liesel`s hair, then beginning to pin it up. "Whatever I say, must not be heard outside these walls, am I clear?" She spoke sharply, causing Liesel to slightly shiver. "Yes, ma`am."

"I`m in love with a human."

Arwen kept pinning the girl`s hair in silence. "Is that it?"

She stopped, and stared at the child in the mirror. "What do you mean?"

"You`re in love, why are you acting as if it`s bad?"

"I will outlive him, unless I give up my immortality. It would be a great sacrifice I`m willing to make, but I would die before my family would."

"Oh," was all that Little Liesel had to say for the moment. "What is he like?" Liesel attempted to take Arwen`s mind off of the slightly awkward statement before.

This brought a slight smile to the woman`s face. "He`s the most selfless man I could have ever met. A ranger, but he is not like the others, very quiet." And she went on and on of talking about the man she called 'Aragorn' to Liesel.

"There we have it." She said a few minutes later. She stepped away and turned Liesel`s chair to face her, then placed a hand mirror in the child`s hands. The girl looked at the mirror in her hands, seeing the back of her head that was pinned up into a tight bun. The girl`s eyes lit up; not even her mother could put her hair up like that!

"Thank you so much!" The girl grinned up at Arwen. The elf returned the smile, then took the mirror away. "You are very welcome, I`ve heard that your companions were quite..." She trailed off.

"What did they do?" Liesel bit her lip not to sigh. Noticing the light blush on Arwen`s cheek didn't comfort her at all.

"They-they bathed in one of the public fountains." Her face flushed even redder.

The girl only imagined what on earth that looked like, then covered her eyes in annoyance. "Only _they_ would do that." She grumbled.

Arwen continued. "Anyway, they`re cleaned up, would you like to see them?"

Liesel stood up from where she was sitting. "Just a bit, perhaps I`ll see them, but I`d like to explore Rivendell."


	10. Not Really Alone

So off went Liesel Hayward to explore the great city of Rivendell. The little girl saw most of the sites that Bilbo Baggins had seen himself, but to her, they weren`t interesting as he saw them to be. Of course, the halfling never saw any art more spectacular than the elves`, but she felt a somewhat unknown smothering to the great city. She never thought that only in a matter of a few days she would feel so free from The Shire, to believe that staying in a city would be so odd.

To the girl`s fortune, she found all but two dwarves in their quarters, beginning to tear wood from the elves' furniture, and throw them in the center of the room to make a pit for a fire. Liesel stared at them in great confusion as they threw a lit match into the pile. "Don`t you dwarves have any decency for our hosts?" Her voice piped.

All eyes were on the little child, and she felt as if she wanted to sink into the ground and lie there for ages. After seeing her face, many of the dwarrows laughed at how only a few glances may make a young hobbit vulnerable.

"Miss Liesel, won`t you join us?" Ori asked in attempt to soothe the girl.

Her face pulled back up into a smile. "I might as well, I don`t know of anything else to do."

"Aye, are you feeling alright lassie?" Fili asked, and struck the wall to light his pipe.

"Yes, yes I am. I just feel a bit off around here." She rose onto her toes; it seemed to be a habit she was starting to create.

"Well, there isn't anything better to cure homesickness than actual food!" Bofur said with glee, and grabbed a pack from behind one of the dwarves.

As they were laughing, Liesel`s smile dropped "I-I never said anything about home-."

She was interrupted but none other than Bofur. "Alright lads, take your pick: Chicken, beef, pork, sausages, anything!" The dwarves hooted with laughter as they picked and chose their meat, then poked the food onto sticks, and began roasting them over the open fire. Liesel lightly smiled at how the dwarves were acting like children once they finally had their way.

Soon, the little girl sat down near two of the dwarves (Bifur and Bofur), staring at only the fire, the flames nearly putting her to sleep at how peaceful everything seemed. The only thing to snap her out of her dozing off, was when Bifur practically shoved a bowl of rolls into her side multiple times.

After a good shove in the ribs, the girl finally shot her head up. "Huh?!" She yelped, and turned her head everywhere until it landed on Bifur looking at the girl like it was the first day he met her. "Oh, sorry." She apologized. He shoved to bowl further to her, asking if she would take it.

She shook her head "I`m not hungry."

"I don`t understand how you aren't, lass." Bofur also shook his head, then turned to look up at Bombur sitting on a table, looking as if one more thing was added, it would collapse. Taking the sausage off his stick, and looking back at the dwarf and food, he called.

"Bombur," Bofur threw the sausage to the fat dwarf. He caught it, and creaking was heard right after. In an instant, the table broke into pieces, sending the poor dwarf to fall onto the ground! The entirety of dwarves, and Liesel, ended up laughing until they either fell over, or their mouths felt numb.

As the amusement was slowly dying down, Kili`s voice was heard behind Liesel "You got any stories, Lise?"

She slightly turned her head around to face him. "Why are you asking?"

He shrugged his shoulders "Do you have anything else better to do at this hour?" He blew a smoke ring in her direction.

The halfling bit her lip not to roll her eyes, then smiled "I don`t believe I do. Alright then, what do you have in mind?" She looked around at all of the dwarves, expecting an answer.

"Surprise us, lass." Fili said from across the room.

A wide grin appeared on her face, and she turned to solely look at the fire. "There once was a younger hobbit…."

* * *

 _It happened years ago; perhaps when Liesel was sixteen as a hobbit. The girl and another, Opal Mulligan, were completely inseparable and nearly did everything together; from playing with dolls, to spending entire days exploring the East Farthing Wood. It is entirely a wonder how Opal, Liesel, and another friend (Ermengarde Cotton) were with two boys waiting and watching outside of Mr. Baggins` gate._

" _I heard he only comes out at night to eat rats and worms." One of the boys, Polo Littlefoot, whispered to the group._

" _No, it`s the witching hour so he can steal little hobbits that sneak out of their room!" His older brother Rufus said to the children melodramatically._

 _Two of the three girls shrieked and clung to each other, shaking at the gossip. Little Liesel Hayward, on the other hand, stood and stared at the two boys, arms crossed._

" _I don`t believe that for a second." The four hobbit children turned their eyes from the lonesome porch, to the little girl staring at them, expecting a variety of answers._

" _Well if you aren't just the stupidest girl I`ve ever met." Rufus hissed._

" _Yeah, you`re so stupid, you don`t even know it." The younger brother joined in._

" _My mother said that Mr. Baggins isn't any of those things that people talk about, he`s just closed off." The girl continued to defend him._

" _Closed off my foot, what`s he got to be closed off for?" Polo asked._

 _Ermengarde spoke up, slowly pulling away from Opal "Unless he`s hiding something?"_

 _The two boys grinned. "Exactly, now what else could he be hiding?"_

" _Nothing, he just doesn't like talking to other hobbits; and it makes sense if he thinks they`re all like you." Liesel snapped._

" _Liesel, please." Opal put a shoulder on her friend`s shoulder "Let`s just forget them, and keep walking to the market." The girl took Liesel`s hand in hers, and off went the three ladies down the path to the marketplace._

" _Look Polo, the scared babies are running away!" Rufus laughed and pointed to the retreating girls still walking._

" _Yeah, what a bunch of scaredy cats!" Polo laughed along with his brother._

 _Opal felt her hand being squeezed tightly. "Let them be."_

 _But the boys wouldn't stop; even from a few meters away, the two could tell they were slowly getting to the poor girl. With smiles on their faces, the boys walked behind the three girls to catch up with them. "You know, perhaps we should join them. We could buy tomatoes and throw them at his windows, maybe that would make him come out."_

 _That was when Opal felt the pressure off her hand, and heard a series amount of stomping back to the Littlefoot boys. "Liesel!" Erma and Opal called for the girl to come back to them._

" _You wouldn't dare to!" Liesel hissed in the eldest`s face when she came back to the two boys, completely ignoring her friends` wishes._

 _Rufus smirked. "You know Liesel, you are absolutely right. I couldn't simply let the rocks go to waste." He bent down and picked up a stone near his feet, and rushed back to the front of Mr. Bilbo`s house, his little brother quickly trying to follow him._

" _Oi, stop it!" She grabbed the boy by his wrist when he raised his arm in a throwing motion. Rufus wasn't wearing a smile filled with mockery anymore, it was a look of scorn. "Well if you bloody care for him so much, why don`t you knock on his door and warn him?"_

 _The girl`s face fell for only a second, before pulling it into a glare. "You know I can`t do that."_

" _Oh, and why not Liesel Hayward? Are you too scared?" He taunted._

" _Don`t be an idiot."_

" _Liesel Hayward`s a baby chicken! Liesel`s a big baby chicken!" Polo shouted._

" _Sh, shut it! Shut your mouth!" She tried to catch the boy as Opal and Erma made it back to the two boys, and one girl._

" _You think you`re the bravest one out of the rest of us, but it turns out you`re just a scared little girl!" Rufus laughed and even had the nerve to push Liesel faintly. Instead of instantly landing punches and kicks to the boy, she turned to the gate, and forcefully pulled the latch open._

" _Liesel no, you`ll get in trouble!" Erma grabbed the girl`s hand roughly, stopping her._

" _I`ll just touch the door, and go away." Liesel said to the two girls begging her not to go. She pulled free from her friend`s grasp, and carefully pulled the gate open. Once there were no creaks, she gently stepped into the garden. She held her breath each step she took, and glancing at her feet to make sure there were no twigs or rocks she would stumble over, giving away her position._

 _The girl went completely silent when she treaded up the steps to the door. After the final step, Liesel hesitantly released a shaky breath, and continued closer to the round door. Just as she held her hand up and brought it closer, she heard a voice come from behind her._

" _Liesel!" Rufus whisper shouted to her._

 _Cringing, the girl turned around "What?"_

" _It`s my mother`s birthday tomorrow, can you grab one of those tulips while you`re up there?"_

" _No, no!" Opal shook her head and also whispered._

 _Liesel furrowed her eyes at Rufus. "No, how foolish do you think I am?" She turned back around and came closer to the door._

" _Well, if your mother knew you touched Mr. Baggins` door without permission, wouldn't it mean you couldn't play with us anymore?" He smirked._

 _Internally cursing, Liesel sighed and nodded her head. She turned back to the door, and took another step in hesitation. The girl rose her arm up for the final time, and closed her eyes as she leaned in to touch the door ever so slightly. She breathed a sigh of relief when she lightly took her hand off the door, and no movement came._

 _Still being quieter than any field mouse, she turned her body back to the halflings her age; the two girls also holding their breaths, and the boys smirking faces. She only took one step down the stairs, before she heard Polo._

" _Ah, ah, ah, remember?" He points to a bush behind her, filled with pink tulips._

 _She pursed her lips, and turned hastily around to the bush. The little child was so angry, it seemed that she could have cared less if the whole Shire heard her sudden outburst when she stomped up the last step. She stood in front of the bush, and yanked one of the tulips out without hesitation. "Happy?" She spoke normally, but slightly louder. Every single one of the children`s faces fell, yes, even the Littlefoot boys._

" _What are you doing you moron?!" Rufus whispered._

" _He`s going to take you, get back down from there!" Polo said._

" _Liesel, run, run for your life!" Erma begged, tears seeming to form._

" _If you don`t get down for there now, I will drag you from there!" It was a surprise that no one turned to Opal with mouths agape._

 _This only seemed to encourage Liesel more. "Huh? It sounds like you`re awfully scared of a little flower. Oh Rufus, I thought you`d be braver than to be scared of something so dainty. You know, since I`m already here." A large grin was on her face as she pulled on another tulip._

" _No, don`t!" "What are you doing?!" "Liesel, stop please!" "Liesel Hayward, I swear to-!"_

 _The sound of a door opening silenced the five children._

 _Before Bilbo Baggins could open his mouth, the children ran off screaming. The four from the outside escaped with no mistakes, but poor Liesel tripped on the steps when she was nearly halfway down. She quickly crawled towards the gate, thinking he was chasing her._

" _I`m sorry, I`m sorry!" She apologized rapidly and threw the gate open before sprinting out of the garden, away from the hobbit hole. She ran as far away she believed she was, but none of her companions were in sight. Still panting from the adrenaline and the run, Liesel fell onto the path, and leaned her head against a neighbor`s fence._

 _She brought her hand up to her face to feel for any cuts; she had a few on her cheek and forehead, but only slight bruises after that. She sighed, got up from her spot, and walked back to her home, praying that her mother wasn't back from being a maid for extra money._

 _Her prayers were unanswered when she opened the door to the smell of cookies and other food goods; if the family her mother was attending to had no money on hand, they would pay her with food, or handed down clothes for Liesel._

 _Liesel stepped inside, and slowly closed the front door. She then attempted to sneak across the sitting room, and into her bedroom, but she was unsuccessful._

" _Liesel?" Her mother asked her while washing the dishes, not even turning her head._

 _The girl swallowed, and stopped in her tracks. "Yes?"_

" _Did you hear screaming a while ago?"_

 _Silence._

" _N-no, ma`am."_

 _A plate dropping into the sink made the younger hobbit nearly jump a foot in the air. Her mother turned around, hands on her hips with a rag in one hand._

" _I have a feeling you`re lying to me, Liesel."_

 _The girl was trembling, and shook her head._

 _Briar sighed and stared down at her daughter "If you tell me right now what happened, you won`t be punished, no matter what you did. This is your last chance."_

 _Liesel continued to stare up at her mother, not making a sound._

" _And there it went." Briar said, then turned back to the sink and continued to wash the dishes._

 _The younger hobbit stared at her mother`s back for a few more minutes, deciding whether or not to confess. For a while, this would have been the only time she ever admitted a fault._

 _She whispered "I plucked two tulips from Mr. Bilbo`s garden."_

 _Her mother sighed, and turned around to face her again. She didn't smile, but she picked up the plate of cookies from off the counter, and placed them on the small dining table. "Sit." She said simply, but not as if she was in distress._

 _The girl sat in the chair, and followed her mother`s every move, waiting for a severe punishment. Instead, Briar sat across from her daughter, and took a cookie from the plate. "Can you tell me exactly what happened?" She calmly asked. Liesel`s eyes would drop to the plate of cookies in front of her for a split second a few times._

" _Oh, help yourself." Her mother said. Liesel looked up at her, asking for sure permission._

" _It`s alright, go ahead."_

 _For another hour, Liesel told (almost) the entire story of how and why of what happened, while eating the plate of cookies until there was no more._

" _Liesel, what you did wasn't right, and I hope you know that." Briar spoke in a serious tone._

 _The girl nodded, and stared at the empty plate, avoiding eye contact._

" _We are going to go to his home, and you are going to apologize for what you had done."_

 _Liesel nodded again._

" _Finally, you will have to tend to his garden for a week."_

 _The child snapped her head up to look her mother I the eye. She wanted to shake her head, but she knew it would most likely end in tears if she did one more thing to set her off. Briar gave the girl a slight, reassuring smile, then led her out of the hobbit hole._

 _They arrived shortly after to find Bilbo Baggins on his porch seat, reading a book, completely oblivious to the world; and not noticing when Briar and Liesel Hayward were at his gate until Liesel`s mother used her elbow to tell her child to start talking to him._

" _M-Mr. Bilbo?" She slightly stammered._

 _The voice took Bilbo out of his own little world, and looked up from his book to see the same child that ran away from him only half an hour ago._

 _He nodded to her, and attempted a smile "Hello,"_

 _She clasped her hands together, and pursed her lips in nervousness. "I-I, I just wanted to apologize for stepping onto your property, a-and attempting to steal your tulips." Bilbo might not have been the best at keeping conversations, but he could tell a rehearsed one from a real one._

 _Still, he gave her a small grin. "That`s quite alright, it`s in the past now, I suppose."_

 _There was little amount of silence, before Briar elbowed her daughter`s arm to remind her of what else to say. "O-oh, and I-I would be more than happy to help you with your garden." She rushed._

 _Right after the young hobbit spoke, was when Bilbo shook his head almost rapidly. "N-no, no, I don`t think that would be entirely necessary-."_

" _Please sir," Her mother cut him off "I believe my daughter should be able to learn from her mistakes, and I consider this to be the best option; it will only be for a week, mind you."_

 _Blinking rapidly, Bilbo sighed. Ever since he was living all by himself, he did not know the best way to say 'No' to certain things; most of the reasons were because of never stepping foot out of Bag End on a regular basis. "Alright, alright, fine." He muttered._

 _Briar smiled at him. "Would around eight o`clock work?"_

 _Liesel snapped her head to her mother with her eyes nearly popping out of her head. "This woman is trying to kill me," She thought._

 _Bilbo shook his head. "Oh, oh no, I don`t need help that early; perhaps noon?"_

 _Briar nodded, then turned. "Well, thank you kindly for your business, Mr. Baggins, have a good evening." And with that, the two female hobbits walked on._

" _Mother?" Liesel`s little voice spoke._

 _Briar turned her head as they continued walk to their home._

" _I-I know what I did was wrong, but the Littlefoot boys forced me to."_

" _Oh, I suppose you couldn't have walked away if you wanted to?"_

" _No!" She quite herself down "I-I tried to, but." She stopped._

" _But what, Liesel? You know you can tell me anything, I won`t let them know you said it." Her mother placed a comforting hand on her shoulder._

" _They said things about him."_

" _What kind of things, Liesel?"_

 _There was a small pause between the two as they entered their own garden, but stood outside the door._

" _Bad things. Very bad things. I tried to tell them to stop, but they wouldn't listen."_

 _A smile cracked onto Briar`s lips, but faded when she began to speak, and turned Liesel to her. "Liesel, what you did wasn't right; I know I told you that many times, but I want to make sure you know. I will kindly and civilly speak to their mother on the matter." She pulled her lips into a smile; Liesel returned it, and the two embraced before going back inside._

 _For seven days, beginning at noon and ending around two in the afternoon, Liesel Hayward tended to Mr. Bilbo`s garden; and, on occasion, swept the floors of Bag End. It was quite a rocky start for the poor girl, falling unconscious onto the grass after working herself to near death after an hour in the hot sun. Gratefully, Bilbo arrived home from a day at the market, and though having trouble, pulled her body under a tree for shade. The girl woke up in a daze of having no painful sunburns on any place of her body._

 _The two often had small chats with one another when Bilbo would sit in his chair to read or smoke on his pipe. Many moments, he would read aloud to Liesel, or sing a small song, not noticing the little girl simply staring and listening._

 _On the final day, and after Liesel was done with all the outside and inside work, Bilbo handed her a wrapped-up box, and told her not to open it until she was at her home. When she finally arrived home, she placed the box onto the dining table, and pulled the bow open; it revealed to be a frosted cake, and a note carefully placed on top. The note read: "I am indeed grateful for all of your help, and yes, you may have a flower once in a while; just please ask for them the next time."_

 _When she talked with her friends after that day, they would almost always ask questions like: "What was the inside of his house like?" "Was it damping?" "Was he absolutely horrible?" But, Liesel would always respond with a smile, and say "You would have to steal a tulip to find your answer."_

* * *

Present Liesel stared around the room with a smile plastered on her face. She never told a story to anyone before, even when she helped a mother take care of her children for an hour; the girl hoped and prayed that they could make out what she was saying.

"You pulled a snout in the first hour?" Oin asked, holding his hearing horn up to his ear.

Liesel stared at him with a puzzled face. "Wh-what? No!"

"She passed out in the first hour, I can`t imagine why." Gloin corrected him.

"Oi, I was tiny." Liesel made an excuse.

"Was?" Fili chuckled.

"Don`t even start." Liesel sassed.

Leave it to Ori to break up a supposed starting fight. "What was the song?"

She turned to the younger dwarf from behind her. "Pardon?"

"T-the song, the one that you said Mr. Bilbo sang?"

She nodded. "Oh, I can`t quite remember the title, but I think I know the words."

The young dwarf nodded, and sat down right next to her, still staring. The whole room was, unexpectedly, silent. The little girl looked around, and soon saw nearly all of the dwarrow`s eyes on her.

"What is it?" She asked.

"The song, lass, you said you knew the words." Dwalin spoke.

"Oh," They expected her to sing?! "A-Alright," She took a deep breath, awaiting for her certain failure.

 _When the cold of Winter comes_

 _Starless night will cover day_

 _In the veiling of the sun_

 _We will walk in bitter rain_

 _But in dreams,_

 _I can hear your name._

 _And in dreams,_

 _We will meet again._

 _When the seas and mountains fall,_

 _And we come to end of days,_

 _In the dark I hear a call,_

 _Calling me there,_

 _I will go There,_

 _and Back Again._

It was a song that she learned from Bilbo long ago, but Liesel could not help herself to think of her mother. The moment when she hit her, all she could think was that her mother must have been the worst person in the world, even worse than her father when angry. But, the song simply reminded her of the countless sacrifices her mother must have made only for her, and how she would never be able to repay her; even if she came home, alive.

Though it was short, and though she might have been just a bit off of the key, it touched nearly ever being in the room, one way or another. Even then, one outside of the room was affected.

Bilbo Baggins had just finished a small meeting with Thorin, Balin, Gandalf the Grey, and Lord Elrond. Needless to say, the poor hobbit was exhausted from running as fast as his little legs could carry him, and from staying awake past the time he would turn out his lights. As he was making his way to a room the elves also gave him separately, he managed eavesdrop on the middle of the girl`s story, and the entire song he used to sing often about the earlier days.

Whether she denied it or not, he knew for a fact Liesel must have been, at the least, slightly homesick. If she would only outright tell him that she wanted to leave for home, it would have been easier for the two hobbits to leave right then and there. But no, the stubborn girl took too much pride in not wanting to quit, even when she was afraid.

The hobbit over watching the child shook his head. He never made a promise to anyone that he would care for her, or protect her, or be overall responsible for her. But, he could not just leave her all alone with no one familiar to talk to. He would have to plaster a smile on his face every day; because he could not leave her.

* * *

 **The song that Liesel sang near the very end was "In Dreams", or a part of "The Breaking of the Fellowship." From** _ **The Fellowship of the Ring.**_ **By the way, if you didn't notice, I do not own any of** _ **The Lord of the Rings**_ **or** _ **The Hobbit**_ **trilogies, nor am I related to J.R.R. Tolkien.**


	11. Safe and Sound

A sharp knock on the door was what woke up Liesel before the sun. The young girl forced herself out of her bed, grabbed a spare blanket, and wrapped it around herself, walking to answer the continuously knocking door.

"Okay, okay, someone has to be dying, or-." She swung the door open and came face to face with Thorin Okenshield. Of course, the girl let out a small gasp when she was met with a brooding face.

Silence fell between the two for what was perhaps a few seconds, before Thorin spoke first. "Gather all of your belongings and meet at the entrance; I do not wish for you to take long." He grumbled, and turned to leave.

Liesel attempted to stifle a yawn before speaking again. "But why this early?"

Nobody would think a few words could stop a king in his tracks, but those words did. Thorin turned his head around to look right in her eyes after stopping. "We do not need these _elves'_ help, they will do nothing bit slow us down. You will gather all of your troubles, and pack them away, and we will leave. Unless, that seems to be difficult for you." And with that, the Dwarf King turned and left the girl in a frozen stance; helpless even.

She soon shook his voice out of her head; there was no one that she would let him pull her down after all this way. Liesel let out a sigh, and only needed to pack her old clothes, and a few extra toiletries. She hesitantly pushed her door open, and tiptoed her way down the halls, before finally arriving at the entrance.

"Where`s Gandalf?" She asked Kili, who was standing right next to her.

He shrugged his shoulders. "I don`t know. I think Uncle said something about him having a discussion with the elves; I don`t know why we`re leaving without him, though."

An amusing idea popped into the girl`s head. "Well, I guess I`ll have to protect everyone, now."

The younger dwarf smirked. "Oh really, and how`s a tiny thing like you going to do that?"

"Like this-!" She reached down in her dress for her sword; she grabbed onto nothing but her dress fabric. Her eyes grew wide as she followed them down to her hip.

Kili pursed his lips. "Ohh, that`s not good Little Princess. You forgot your sword during battle and-." He draws his finger against his neck.

"I-I must have left it in my room; I`ll go back and fetch it." She spoke, before running as fast as her legs could carry her.

In her rush, the girl couldn't help but pull the door open quite loudly, alerting the other figure in the bedroom. Liesel let out a gasp when the other person turned sharply to her.

"You`re leaving?" It had been so dark, the voice belonging to Arwen was the only thing Liesel could recognize of her. Yet, the girl didn't respond, and only turned her head to the floor, and began searching for her weapon.

"Are you sure you know what you`re doing?" The elf maiden asked again, clutching the halfling`s sword behind her back.

Liesel stopped shuffling around the room. She finally looked up at her "Why else would I be on this journey of I did not know the risks?"

"I still believe you don`t." Arwen said.

"Why on earth are you trying to keep me here?"

She shook her head. "It is not in my place to decide whether you decide you stay or not. I am just suggesting you think before acting."

The young girl simply stared at Arwen. "Give it to me now."

She tilted her head in fake confusion. "Give you what, Miss Liesel?"

"My blade, you have it behind your back."

Arwen slightly nods her head, and pulls her arms in front of her with the sword in her hands, but not handing it to the little girl. "Do you know the risks you`ll put your life in, if you choose to continue on this quest?"

"I have already come close to death multiple times."

"Have you?"

Liesel trembled as she controlled herself not to lash out. "I have already made my decision, I am leaving."

Arwen shook her head slightly, but held the sword out to the hobbit. Liesl stepped forward, and took her blade in her hands, and stabbed it into her dress.

"But, if you are continuing, I am sure you need more appropriate attire." Arwen spoke.

The girl looked back up at her in slight confusion. "What do you mean?"

A slight smile pulled onto the elf maiden`s lips. "I have seen in your bag, you do not have much. Look into the wardrobe."

Still staring at her, Liesel stepped towards the closet, and hesitantly pulled the doors open. Not many dresses were hanging, but there were still quite a few.

As the little girl stared almost aweing at the clothes, Arwen continued to speak. "From your past gowns, they have been shown to be quite casual. My guidance is that you take a few, but not several. You need to pack light, but not weightless."

Liesel turned around, and gave her the greatest of smiles. "Thank you, I never would`ve known if-."

"It is my pleasure, little one. I only ask to always be on guard of yourself, and possibly those around you."

Liesel nodded. "I promise."

"Do not promise, vow."

She nodded again, with the slightest of smiles. "I vow to keep myself and others safe."

Arwen smiled back at her. "Another is to clean and rebandage your wound." She moved away from the hobbit, and picked a roll of bandages up from the vanity. "I assume you will remember?"

The halfling nodded, and took the roll. "Yes, miss."

She smiled. "Go, reveal your destiny."

"Thank you, I wish you luck with that man you call Aragorn."

The elf maiden smiled back at her, and moved closer, kissing her forehead. "May we meet again, Liesel Hayward."

And with that, the young hobbit girl rushed out of the small palace, and back to the entrance where they came upon Rivendell the day before. Alas, not one dwarf nor hobbit was there, waiting for her.

* * *

It was just after the sun rose when Ori was the last to arrive in the Company.

"We move out." Thorin spoke to get all`s attention, and started leading the Company out the front.

"Where`s the child burglar?" Fili`s voice asked his uncle.

Kili turned to his brother. "She told me that she forgot her sword, so she ran to her room to get it, then come back."

"I also spoke to the child before; she seemed hesitant." The dwarf king spoke again, causing all heads to turn. "I do not believe she will be continuing with us. We move along." Most of the dwarrows moved instantly, a few of them did stay back in confusion, but otherwise moved on pretty quickly. All who remained in the back was Mr. Baggins himself.

Here he had just been pitying himself of making the ultimate sacrifice to not leave the little girl all by herself, and not taking comfort in Rivendell, but to stay by her side and endure the hardships on the journey. Yet, there was Liesel Hayward, refusing to leave the city. He could stay, if she was staying, then what wouldn't give him the right to-?

"Mr. Boggins, are you alright?" Fili`s voice broke the hobbit out of his rant.

"O-oh? Y-yes, I am indeed alright, thank you for asking." He responded, plastering a smile on when he finished.

The dwarf returned the smile. "Well that`s a relief. I do believe you should keep up, and not get lost in that silly little mind of yours."

The hobbit furrowed his eyes in confusion. "S-silly mind? How far are they up there?"

The dwarf pointed to the side of the mountain. "I believe the should be at the entrance of that mountain."

Saying no more, the hobbit picked his feet up, and rushed himself with his walking stick, leaving the young dwarf to chuckle and catch up to him.

"Be on your guard; we're about to step over the edge of the Wild. Balin, you know these paths; lead on." Thorin called to his friend.

"Aye." Balin responded.

One last time, Bilbo turns over his shoulder to look at the picture of Rivendell. It would be the last thing he would see and describe only as beautiful. He stared at it, longing to go back.

"Master Baggins, I suggest you keep up." Thorin noticed the hobbit`s frozen state. Bilbo turned around and shared a glance with Thorin, before slightly nodding, and continuing on.

"Wait, wait! Wait for me!" A familiar, child-like voice made heads turn as all eyes saw Little Liesel Hayward sprinting up the slope to them.

"Well I`ll be, it looks like the child didn't want to give up." Bofur said to himself as the little halfling soon collapsed against the rough wall to catch her breath.

She laughed while breathing heavily. "H-how dare you leave me!"

"It is not our responsibility that you could not help yourself in time before we left. It is almost a miracle that you arrived in time." Thorin grumbled.

Liesel`s smile fell as her head was still against the rock wall, and he breathing slowly continued normally. The two stared at each other in frozen time, then Thorin turned back. "As I have said before: Move along."

The dwarrows did, some patting the girl on the back for returning, and others just shouting back to her: "You surprised me, lassie!"

Many days passed as the company hiked over ranges, treaded through plains, and climbed mountains. Many songs were sung, most being old, dwarven carols, but a song both hobbits knew would be chanted once in a while. Games were also most popular to pass the time; from a spying game, to riddles.

"An eye in a blue face saw an eye in the green face. 'That eye is like to this eye' said the first eye, 'But in low place, not in high place.'" Liesel smiled as she skipped through a field they were traveling through.

"That doesn't make any bloody sense!" Bofur cursed.

"Of course it does, you just need the right mind to solve it." Kili bragged.

"Alright then, what is your answer?" She asked.

"It`s obvious, isn't it? A hobbit lass with blue eyes looked into a dwarf`s green eyes." He smirked.

Liesel wore the grin longer than he did. "Not even close, good sir." Many of the dwarves, those not even participating in the game, let out hardy laughs.

Bilbo shook his head. "The sun on daises."

She smiled. "Correct."

Bilbo began his riddle. "What has roots as nobody sees, is taller than trees, up, up, up it goes, and yet never grows?"

Before any dwarf could answer, Liesel Hayward spoke. "The mountains, good gracious a child could have figured that out."

He looked back at her. "Then please enlighten me with a mind-boggling riddle, if you please." Many of the company 'oo`d' at the small quarrel.

Liesel breathed in. "It cannot be seen, cannot be felt, cannot be heard, cannot be smelt. It lies behind stars and under hills, and empty holes it fills. It comes first and follows after, ends life, kills laughter."

That was perhaps one of the rare moments where tiny Liesel silenced Bilbo. The wheels in his mind were certainly turning as the company of Thorin Okenshield continued on.

"Give up?" She asked.

He sighed. "How about one of the lot of you go?" He asked, turning around to the other dwarves walking with them.

"Oh I don`t know laddie, this does seem to be a bit of a tricky one." Balin chuckled.

"Besides, it was so kind of you to help us on the puzzle about age itself." Fili teased the poor hobbit.

"If I couldn't aid you on that riddle, then do not blame me for it." The hobbit shot back.

The little girl caught up to him, walking by his side. "Do you have an answer?"

He looked up, and sighed deeply. "No, I believe I do not."

She smirked. "Darkness, Mr. Bilbo." He stopped looking at the clouds, and furrowed his eyes, then turned to her in confusion.

Liesel chuckled. "Darkness is what rests behind the stars, and brings fear instead of happiness when it`s not wanted."

"Oh that`s clever, that`s really clever." She heard Ori say with sincerity.

* * *

When night fell quicker than anyone could have imagined, a storm hit the mountains. The path they were traversing was so narrow an acrobat would have a challenge walking across it.

"Hold on!" Thorin shouted behind him, from the lead of course.

As the two hobbits sandwiched in the middle continue to walk, Bilbo slipped on a rock, nearly falling off the ledge! He let of a shriek as he prepared for his doom, but Dwalin grabbed onto him, pulling him to safety.

"We must find shelter!" The king shouted again.

"Look out!" Dwalin shouted right beside the two halflings.

They all looked up to see a massive boulder hurtling through the air! It hit the mountainside above them, causing rocks to fall all around them as they clung themselves to the wall.

Balin pulled himself away, and walked closer to see. "This is no thunderstorm; it's a thunder battle!" A stone giant pulled up from a nearby mountain; it ripped off a massive boulder from the top of the other mountain. "Look!"

Liesel and Bilbo gaped at the enormous creatures; they must have seen everything now, and it had only been a week!

"Well bless me, the legends are true." Bofur walked forward in awe. "Giants; Stone Giants!"

As soon as he was finished, the opposite giant launched his piece of the mountain at the giant next to the mountain the company was on; it hit him square in the head. "Take cover: you'll fall!" Thorin shouted.

The dwarves yelled at each other to brace and hold on, and the rocks beneath their feet begin to give way from all the vibrations and from the impact of the falling rocks. Dwalin grabbed the two next to him (Bilbo and Ori) and pulled them tighter to the wall. Bilbo, copying Dwalin, grabbed Liesl`s shoulder and pushed her back to the mountain with no hesitance. Bofur stepped in front of her when another mini boulder fell from above, almost hitting the ground the two were standing on.

"What`s happening?" Kili asked as he felt the ground shift violently.

"Kili! Grab my hand! Ki-!" Fili begged his brother before they were split apart, quite literally.

Looking above, Liesel saw what and why there was a sudden split in the path. "Look!" She tugged on the dwarf`s shoulder in front of her, and pointed to what was up above; another stone giant.

As the two stone giants fought with their stone fists, the dwarves hold on tight as they are flung around. The knee of the stone giant they occupied crashed into another mountain. Thorin rushed his group off the knee quicker than a deer running away from a hunter.

A third stone giant appears, and Liesel Hayward did the only thing she wanted to do, ever since she laid eyes on the giants; she screamed as if she was being murdered. Even her own shriek seemed to surprise herself, but she kept crying as the third threw a boulder at the head of one of the first two.

The one that was struck fell, and its head hitting the space above the first group of Thorin`s! The company fought to keep their balance, and for an unknown reason, Bilbo wrapped his arms around Liesel as if to attempt to shield her from any debris. But she barely noticed as the other group of dwarves passed by her one moment, then being crushed into the mountain the next.

It all happened like a blur to the poor hobbit. They were alive, and then... gone. She began to hyperventilate, and clung herself to the wall, though the battle was over.

"No! No! Kili!" Thorin`s voice echoed in her ears, as most of the dwarves ran to the damage.

Finally snapping out of the shock and terror, Bilbo noticed his arms still around the beyond scared child. He could not tell whether he was trembling, or if she was. Still, he tried his best to calm her.

"Liesel, Liesel, shh, it`s alright, you`re fine, you`re-." He told her as she gripped his arms, and she still sobbed, much to her dismay.

"We`re alive, they`re alive!" Came Balin`s voice.

The girl perked her head up, and tore herself from Bilbo in an instant and rushed to the survived dwarves.

She turned the corner, and saw the plethora attempting to stand up. Her smile was inevitable as she instantly helped Kili to his feet.

"Oh, how admirable for the Little Princess to-." He teased, before he was met with a punch like a kitten`s paw to his shoulder.

"How dare you- all of you-!" She turned and laughed at the company, but all her screaming strained her. "scare me like that. I really thought I would lose any of you."

He smiled and ruffled through her hair. "Well it`s nice to see you don`t want to get rid of me, yet."

She smiled, but rolled her eyes and pushed his hand off. "Don`t get your hopes up."

The rest of the company laughed in wonder of how they lost nobody; all expect for Bofur. "Where's Bilbo? Where's the Hobbit?"

All snapped to attention, and turned their heads right to left, desperately searching for their burglar. But, as for Ori, he looked down. "There!" He pointed to poor Mr. Baggins hanging onto the cliff for dear life!

"Get him!" Dwalin shouts, and the youngest was one jump ahead of him.

Liesel carefully but quickly crawled her way to Bilbo, and reached and clutched his hand with no hesitation. "I got you!" She tried to shout over the storm still going on. The girl took her second hand off the ground she was supporting herself, to take his other hand, but she was soon falling headfirst into the abys!

She gasped and let out a little shriek before she felt many arms grasping her feet, and pulling her back up. In the shock of everything happening, Bilbo`s hand slipped out of hers and he fell a few more feet before grabbing another support.

The dwarves let go of her once she`s on stable ground, and rushed back over to Bilbo, all reaching out to try to pull him up unsuccessfully. Suddenly, the dwarf king Thorin swung down on the cliff next to Bilbo and boosted him up, where the others pulled him to safety. Dwalin tried to lift Thorin back up too, but Thorin lost his grip and begins falling too! However, Dwalin, with much effort, was able to pull him back up.

Panting, he looks over to Bilbo and Liesel, both cowering. "I thought we'd lost our burglars."

Thorin looks at the two shaking halflings. "They`ve been lost ever since they left home. They should never have come, he has no place amongst us, and the girl is but a vulnerable child." He turns his head back around to see a huge crack in the mountain; a cave.

"Dwalin!" He commands the dwarf, and they both head into the cave to explore.

Liesel and Bilbo shared a glance, as if saying: "Is it true?". They both turned away from each other then, and the girl rested her head against the wall, waiting for the tears to fall again; but none do, only her shaking breath was heard.

* * *

 **Heyyyyyyyyy, so, if you noticed a few of the riddles, that is your little goody from the books for this chapter! Anyway, I am so-so sorry for not updating in a while, I just came back from San Francisco with my family, and saw one of the most amazing shows in the world! Again, I will also apologize for not giving you a heads up. Thank you to all who`s favorited, followed, reviewed, and even just viewed this fic; I feel as if I`m not saying it enough.**


	12. Helpless

After the company somewhat recovered from the storm, they go off and find a cave. "It looks safe enough." Dwalin grumbled.

"Search to the back; caves in mountains are seldom unoccupied." Thorin commanded, and Dwalin stepped into the cave with a brightly lit lantern, and searched for a few minutes. "There's nothing here."

With nodding heads, the company crowded into the small cave, and Gloin opened his huge pack. Pulling out a large bundle of wood, he dropped it on the floor with a smile, and rubbed his hands. "Right then! Let's get a fire started."

"No, No fires, not in this place." Thorin interrupted, walking near his old friend. "Get some sleep. We start at first light."

"We were to wait in the mountains until Gandalf joined us. That was the plan." Balin told.

Thorin shook his head. "Plans change. Bofur, take the first watch." The miner nodded, and used the wall to help him stand up.

Liesel Hayward was in the center of the cave, and you would not believe me if I told you that she was the only one to be trembling just a few minutes after she and Bilbo nearly fell from the cliff. Her nervousness attracted every living thing, as she wrapped herself up; arms around her legs, which were pulled to her chest, and rocked herself in place.

"Hey Lise, are you alright?" Fili asked her from across the room. She didn't respond, and kept shaking.

"Lass, he asked if you`re doing fine." Gloin said. The poor girl still didn't say anything, focusing her attention on little things in the room. A stone hitting the rock-hard ground right next to her, caused her to yelp in shock.

"Kili!" Fili and Thorin hissed at their brother or nephew, and all eyes shot to him.

"She wasn't saying anything to you! I didn't know what else to do." He responded.

Thorin stepped forward. "For the next time we take shelter, I suggest you not frighten the child nor anyone else, alerting scum to our presence."

With that, Kili`s face slightly fell in regret, and looked back at the little girl. "I apologize, Liesel, I didn't mean to scare you at all, honest."

She forced herself to look at him, and she nodded in slight forgiveness.

All the dwarves spread out to find a decent, comfortable space to lay their bedrolls. As for Liesel, she stayed where she was, but still opened her rucksack and rolled her portable bed out. Bilbo noticed her still skittishness, and looked at the girl with nothing but sympathy in his eyes as he placed his bedroll down onto the floor.

He didn't belong here. No matter how many times Balin, or Bofur, or even Little Liesel would tell him that he did, he would never believe them. If Thorin only thought of him as a burden, nobody would even notice if he disappeared into the night and went all the way to Rivendell, then home. But, he still swore to himself he wouldn't leave the child all by herself.

* * *

After perhaps half an hour, the entire Company was finally resting in the cave; all the dwarves asleep, some shifting, and some snoring louder than a storm. Bilbo, only pretending to be asleep, stealthily opened his eyes and looked around. Seeing that no one was watching, he slowly sat up, and crawled over to Liesel. He touched the girl`s shoulder, and shook her awake.

She flicked her eyes open, and rubbed one of them. "Huh?" She yawned almost loudly.

"Shh," he whispered to her "pack your things, and be quick and quiet." Bilbo stood up before she could ask, and rolled up his bedroll, and packed the basic necessities.

"What`s going on?" She whispered, again rubbing her eye, and sitting up.

The elder hobbit shushed her again. "Just pack, I`ll tell you everything soon."

Confused beyond belief, she complied. She rolled up her bed, packed her spare clothes, and equipped her sword to her side, then got up. When the two were done, Bilbo picked up his walking stick, took the little girl`s hand, and tiptoed over the dwarves; guiding Liesel step by step, since she was clearly out of it.

"Where are we-?" She tried asking again.

Once again, Bilbo shushed her. "Don`t say a word,"

Bofur, who was standing watch, heard the two trying to leave. He jumped up and tried to stop them. "Where do you think you're going?" He asked quietly.

Bilbo sighed, and turned around. "Back to Rivendell." Liesel`s face fell, she pulled her hand out of Bilbo`s grasp and stepped away.

As for Bofur, "No, no, you can't turn back now, you`re part of the Company. You and Liesel are one of us."

The elder hobbit scoffed. "We`re not though, aren`t we? Thorin said we should never have come, and he was right. I'm not a Took, I'm a Baggins, I don't know what I was thinking letting a child stay away from the Shire for this long. I should never have run out my door."

Still in slight shock of what Bilbo had tried to done, Liesel couldn't find any word to say to him without her completely exploding and waking all of Middle Earth. So, she just stopped and stared at the two. Little did they know, that Thorin himself was listening to their words.

"You're homesick; I understand." Bofur whispered, trying to help the situation.

Bilbo lost it. "No, you don't, you don't understand! None of you do - you're dwarves. You used to - to this life, to living on the road, never settling in one place, not belonging anywhere!"

The dwarf made eye contact with the floor, and the younger hobbit looked at Bilbo; and in that moment, she didn't hold her tongue.

"Mr. Baggins!" She hissed, not caring at what noise she made.

Just as the words fell from his mouth, he realized his mistake. "I am sorry, I didn't..."

"No, you're right. We don't belong anywhere." Bofur said, and looked around the cave at his friends; his family. "I wish you all the luck in the world. I really do." Bofur smiles and placed his hand on Bilbo's shoulder.

The hobbit returned the smile, and turned to the small child. "Liesel, I`m not forcing you to stay, nor am I forcing you to go. What do you think is the best for you?"

She flinched at being put on the spot, and rushed herself to think. "I made a bad decision; I shouldn't have left my mother all by herself, no matter how selfish I am." She nodded, and looked back at Bofur. "I`m sorry, I don`t know if I`m ready for an adventure, or if I ever will be." She said, regretfully.

Still, the miner nodded. "I understand little one; it was quite a surprise for me to think you`d come this far." The two smirked, and turned to leave.

"What's that?" Bofur stopped them.

They stopped in their tracks, and turned to see the dwarf`s eyes to their swords. Bilbo pulled his sword partway out of its sheath and saw that the bright blue lighting the room. His face fell, and he looked to Liesel; she understood, and pulled her sword out while shutting her eyes, already knowing the answer. Thorin rose his head as he heard strange machinery noises and saw cracks form in the sand on the floor of the cave!

"Wake up. Wake up!" Before anyone could react, the floor of the cave collapsed downwards, revealing it to be a giant trap door. The entire Company fell down a chute, and slid down the rocky walls, until they were met with the ground.

As they struggled to get up, a horde of goblins sprinted to them, taking away their weapons and dragging them. One goblin grabbed and tugged Liesel by the hair when she clung herself to the ground, screaming and forcing herself to stay down. Sadly, the goblins overpowered her, and pulled her hair until she had to finally stand, and she was led away.

As the dwarves were kicking and yelling, Bilbo crouched into a ball, and was missed by the goblins; not seeing him, they left him behind! Nori, looking over his shoulder, saw this happen.

Bilbo scampered behind some railing to hide as he watched the goblins proceed through the tunnels. Bats flew in the darkness, and Bilbo drew his sword, which was glowing bright blue, and slowly followed the goblins. Suddenly, one goblin jumped out in front of him and rushed at him with his sword! The goblin charged at the hobbit, and Bilbo, never once using his sword, struggled to swing back, but thankfully never missed. The creature leaped onto his back, and pulled the both of them to the edge of the cliff! Still struggling, Bilbo was pulled off the ledge, and the two were falling until there was darkness around them.

* * *

Meanwhile, the goblin horde dragged the dwarves and little hobbit through a vast network of tunnels and wooden bridges to the throne room and platform of the Great Goblin. The brute was larger than any other goblin you could even imagine, and anywhere he went (Barely), he would carry his staff, a large skull.

A horn was blown, and more than half the company covered their ears, as a cacophony of pots and pans being smacked roared throughout the goblin caves.

"I feel a song coming on." A disgusting voice was heard, and became louder as the dwarves and child were being pulled closer.

 _Clap! Snap! The Black Crack!_

 _Grib, grab! Pinch and nab!_

 _And down down to Goblin Town!_

 _You go my lad!_

 _Clash, crash! Crush, and smash!_

 _Hammer and tongs! Knocker and gongs!_

 _Pound, pound, far underground!_

 _You go my lad!_

 _Swish, smack! Whip crack!_

 _Batter and beat! Yammer and bleat!_

 _Work, work! Nor dare to shirk,_

 _While Goblins quaff, and Goblins laugh_

 _Round and round, far underground!_

 _Below, my lad!_

The dwarves, hobbit, and goblins ducked as the fat creature twirled, almost hitting them with his staff. After he made it around, he crawled back up to his throne, whilst crushing many of the smaller goblins as his footstool.

"Catchy, isn't it? It`s one of my own compositions." He bragged, the entire company glaring at him, all except Liesel. If she wasn't crying and afraid, she would`ve most likely stood tall and shout: "It was the most atrocious thing, and I am surprised that no one`s ears are bleeding!"

But, Balin beat her to it. "That was no song, it`s an abomination!"

The goblins roared at him, and the great goblin continued. "Abominations, mutations, deviations, that`s all you`re going to find down here!"

Right after he spoke, the dwarves` weapons were dropped onto the floor including Liesel`s, which was glowing brighter than ever. The Great Goblin rushed off his throne again.

"Who would be so bold as to come armed into my kingdom? Spies? Thieves? Assassins? Who are these miserable persons?!"

"Dwarves, Your Malevolence, and this!" Another hideous goblin said, pulling on Liesel`s arm so hard, she fell onto her knees.

The fat creature laughed. "And what might this thing be? A female, a child, but she is no dwarf! Now tell me, little one, what exactly are you?" He leaned in closer to her, she gagged at the stench from his breath.

She looked right at him, and tried her best to stop her tears, but they kept pouring down her face as she sputtered to say something. Instead of becoming angry, the Great Goblin laughed, and so did the other peculiar monsters.

"Is the little child crying? Oh little one, I didn't mean to offend you! How could I have known you were so sensitive?"

The girl stared at him dead in the eyes, and clenched her teeth in anger. "I believe any one of us here would be shedding tears just by simply looking at your face!"

The goblins howled in anger at the girl`s retort, and she felt another hand grab her arm; she turned and saw it belonged to Kili. "Get behind me," He snarled at her.

"Huh?" She asked, not hearing what he said.

"Get behind me." He said again, this time pulling her behind her, and she held onto the back of his cloak for dear life.

After everything somewhat settled, the huge goblin must`ve forgotten all about Liesel, because he asked: "Where did you find the dwarves, and the odd creature?"

"We found them on the front porch." The same goblin that pulled Liesel to the ground pointed to the company.

"Well, don't just stand there; search them! Every crack, every crevice." He commanded.

The goblins searched the company thoroughly, throwing away whatever they find. Poor Oin's hearing trumpet was thrown on the floor and crushed underfoot. Another goblin picked up one of the bags, and poured out silverware, candlesticks, and other valuable objects.

One goblin picked up a golden candlestick. "It is my belief, your greatness, they are enleague with elves!" He said, handing the candlestick to the Great Goblin.

The fat goblin took it, and looked at the bottom. "Made in Rivendell. Second age, couldn`t give it away!" He said, throwing the candlestick off the platform.

A few of the dwarves looked to Nori. "Just a couple of keepsakes." He defended.

"What are you doing in these parts, speak!" The King Goblin demanded.

Thorin stepped forward to talk, but Oin stopped him. "Don`t worry lads, I`ll handle this."

"No tricks, I want the truth!" The Goblin King, slammed his staff into the ground.

"You`re going to have to speak up!" Oin said, holding up his hearing aid. "Your boys flattened my trumpet."

"I`ll flatten more than your trumpet!" The big goblin rushed towards the dwarves, and Liesel escaped from behind Kili as she tried to run out of the crowd.

Bofur pushed himself in front of Thorin. "If there`s more information you want, I`m the one you should speak to!" The Goblin King stopped, and the miner thought quickly of what to say.

"We were on the road-well, it`s not much a road, it`s a path. Actually, it`s not even that come to think of it, it`s more of a track. Anyway, we were on this road like a path like a track, and then we weren`t! Which is a problem, because we were supposed to be in Dunland last Tuesday?" He turned to Oin.

"Visiting distant relations!"

Bofur turned back to the King. "Some inbreeds on my mother`s side-."

"Shut up!" He screamed, silencing the entire cavern. "Well then, if they will not talk, we'll make them squawk! Bring out the Mangler! Bring out the Bone Breaker! Start with…" He paused as his eyes drifted everywhere, searching for something. It finally caught his eye "The little girl!" He pointed and laughed to Liesel, who was slowly crawling to try and get out.

In a flash, the girl felt several hands grab her from everywhere, and she shrieked 'No!' many times at the top of her lungs, while also trying to fight her way out of their grasp. From her vulnerable state, more than half of the dwarves used all their strength to fight against them; yet, they were being held back. Fili managed to break free, and put up the most fight to save her. A sword was raised by another goblin, and aimed at the back of his head! Until-.

"Wait!"

Everything stopped, and the fight was over when it was revealed Thorin Okenshield shouted, then calmly pushed his way past to the front.

"Well, well, well, look who it is. Thorin son of Thrain, son of Thror; King under the Mountain." The Great Goblin bowed exaggeratedly to Thorin. "Oh, but I'm forgetting, you don't have a mountain. And you're not a king. Which makes you nobody, really. I know someone who would pay a pretty price for your head. Just the head, nothing attached. Perhaps you know of whom I speak, an old enemy of yours. A Pale Orc astride a White Warg."

Thorin looked up in surprise and disbelief, of course, trying his best to shield it. "Azog the Defiler was destroyed. He was slain in battle long ago."

The monster smirked. "So you think his defiling days are done, do you?" He laughed, then turning to a tiny goblin sitting in a basket and holding a slate. "Send word to the Pale Orc; tell him I have found his prize."

The tiny goblin wrote down the message on his slate; cackling, he pulled a lever, causing his basket to start sliding down a system of ropes and pulleys into the darkness.

* * *

Bilbo slowly regained consciousness and found himself in the dark cavern, lying behind a clump of mushrooms. He saw the goblin who attacked him lying nearby, nearly dead. Suddenly, before Bilbo could stand up, a hunched creature crawled from the darkness, approaching the goblin.

"Yes. Yes. Yes! Yes! Gollum. Gollum." Its hoarse voice cheered.

Bilbo, out of sight behind the mushrooms, watched as "Gollum" circled around the goblin. Gollum then began pulling the goblin away by the feet. Suddenly, the goblin woke up and began flailing around! In a fit of rage, Gollum grabbed a rock and pounded the goblin on the head with it, knocking it unconscious again. As Bilbo watched in horror, a golden ring fell out of the monster`s loincloth and fell on the floor. "Gollum" resumed pulling the unconscious goblin away. "Nasty goblinses. Better than old bones, Precious; better than nothing."

Bilbo, emerging from his hiding spot and retrieving his sword, followed after Gollum. By the light of the sword, he approached the Ring, and picked it up. "What`s this? A ring?" He asked in his mind.

Hearing Gollum singing in the distance, Bilbo put the Ring into his pocket and followed the sound of Gollum's voice. "Too many boneses, Precious! Nothing of flesh! Shut up! Get its skin off. Start with its head."

Bilbo continued to slowly pace toward the voice, growing increasingly confused. Then, he heard singing:

" _The cold hard lands,_

 _they bites our hands,_

 _they gnaws our feet._

 _The rocks and stones,_

 _they're like old bones,_

 _all bare of meat._

 _Cold as death,_

 _they have no breath,_

 _it's good to eat!_ "

Rounding a corner, Bilbo saw Gollum silhouetted on top of a rock in the middle of a small lake. Gollum was singing as he beat the goblin's body, He smashed it in the head again with a rock. Seeing the glow of Bilbo's sword, Gollum looked up!

Bilbo quickly hid behind a rock, realizing that his sword was still glowing brightly. However, the sword's light started flickering, then completely died out; the goblin was dead. As he looked at it confusedly, Bilbo peeked out from behind the rock, then is shocked to see that Gollum was no longer there.

Gollum stealthily paddled through the lake in his little boat, using his hands as paddles. After a little longer, Bilbo slowly looked up and found Gollum on a rock above him! Gollum jumped down in front of Bilbo. "Bless us and splash us, Precious! That's a meaty mouthful."

The creature rushed to Bilbo, but the hobbit placed the point of his sword on Gollum's throat, causing Gollum to retreat in fear. "Aaahh. Gollum. Gollum. Ack"

Bilbo stood himself up, and tried his best to sound threatening, bit still stammered. "Back. Stay back. I'm warning you, don't come any closer."

Gollum hissed, and crawled away from him. "It's got an elfish blade, but it's not an Elfs. Not an Elfs, no. What is it, Precious? What is it?"

"My name-is Bilbo Baggins." The elder hobbit shook as he held the sword.

Gollumn tilted his head to the side. "Bagginses? What is a Bagginses, Precious?"

"I'm a Hobbit from the Shire."

"Oh! We like Goblinses, batses, and fishes, but we hasn't tried Hobbitses before! That stench, Precious, the stench of a child, but it doesn't look like one. Is it soft? Is it juicy?"

Bilbo`s heart leapt into his throat at the mention of Liesel, and held the blade farther out, and waved it all about. "Now, now, K-keep your distance! I'll use this if I have to!" Gollum snarled at Bilbo, causing him to step back. "I don't want any trouble, do you understand? Just show me the way to get out of here, and I'll be on my way."

"Why, is it lost?"

Bilbo nodded, out of breath. "Yes, yes, and I want to get unlost as soon as possible."

Upon hearing this, Gollum answered in a different voice than before; like a different personality speaking. "Ooh! We knows! We knows safe paths for Hobbitses. Safe paths in the dark." He pointed across the water. "Shut up." He growls to himself.

Bilbo furrowed his eyes in confusion. "I didn't say anything."

"Wasn't talking to you." He spat at Bilbo, but lowered himself and talked again "But yes, we was, Precious, we was."

"Look, uh, I don't know what your game is, but I-"

Gollum`s face lit up. "Games?! We love games, doesn't we, Precious? Does it like games? Does it? Does it? Does it like to play?"

Bilbo sauntered in his footsteps. "Maybe?"

The creature held up his hands, then began reciting a riddle. "What has roots as nobody sees, is taller than trees. Up, up, up it goes, and yet, never grows."

Bilbo stared at him. What were the odds that it was the riddle he told the day before? "...The mountain."

The monster began laughing uproariously. "Yess, yess, oh, let's have another one, eh? Yes, come on, do it again, do it—do it again. Ask us. No! No more riddles. Finish him off. Finish him now. Gollum! Gollum!" Gollum snarled and began rushing at Bilbo to kill him, but Bilbo held out his hand to stop him, and spoke.

"No! No, no, no. I wa—I want to play. I do. I want to play. I can see you are very good at this. S—so why don't we have a game of riddles? Yes, just, just you and me." Bilbo crouched until he was level with Gollum. Gollum scuttled forward, close to Bilbo, whispering excitedly.

"Yes! Yes, just, just—just us."

"Yes. Yes. And—and if I win, you show me the way out." He pointed to a random corner in the dark.

"Yes. Yes -" Gollum snarled, turning away from Bilbo. Gollum's two personality's talked to each other. "And if it loses? What then? Well, if it loses, Precious, we will eats it!"

That caught Bilbo`s attention, and Gollum turned to him "If Baggins loses, we eats it whole."

Bilbo stared at the odd creature for a couple of seconds, thoroughly questioning his own sanity if he was serious about doing this.

"Fair enough."

* * *

 **Helooooo, everybody! I just wanted to give a quick note about school. Yeahhhhhhh, so I`m actually starting my first year of high school, so I may or may not have enough time to update these stories, because yeah it`s going to take a little bit to adjust! Anyway, I just want to thank you so much for staying by my side with updates.**


	13. All We see is Light

If you had told Bilbo Baggins over a year ago, that he would be lost in a dark cave, under a goblin`s nest, in a company full of dwarves and a small child, and now bargaining his life in a game of riddles, he would have laughed and slammed the door. But now, here he is, still alive and questioning his intelligence.

"Well, Baggins first." Gollum waved his hand in anticipation. As Bilbo thought of a riddle, Gollum rested his hands and chin on the edge of a rock.

"Thirty white horses on a red hill." He finally spoke. "First they champ, then they stamp, then they stand still."

As Gollum thought, he kept opening his eyes and mouth as if he knew the answer, then changed his mind. This went on four several seconds, until he finally responded-"Teeth?"

Bilbo`s face slightly fell, unhappy as the answer is correct. Gollum became ecstatic and laughed throatily."Teeth! Yes, my Precious. But we-we-we only have nine." Gollum displayed his mouth, showing that he really did only have nine teeth. Bilbo scrunched his face in discuss as Gollum began reciting his next riddle, while getting closer and closer to Bilbo. The hobbit kept a large rock between the two of them.

"Our turn. Voiceless it cries, wingless flutters, toothless bites, mouthless mutters." He hissed.

Bilbo looked around the dim cave, searching for any possible answer. "Just a minute." As he walked off thinking, Gollum's hardened face lit up.

"Oh, oh! We knows. We knows! Shut up!" He said to himself.

As Bilbo observed the water, trying his best to block out the noise, he could barely see the water ripple, and feel a slight breeze against his hair.

"Wind." He whispered then grinned and turned to Gollum. "It's wind! Of course it is." The creature snarled in frustration and began slinking around, approaching Bilbo.

"Very clever, Hobbitses, very clever." As he got too close for comfort, Bilbo whipped out his sword and held it in front of Gollum again, but stammered his riddle.

"Ah, ah, ah, ah. A-a box without hinges, key, o-or, or lid; yet golden treasure inside is hid."

Gollum thought hard and long, along with talking to himself and making many hand motions. "A box...and a lid...and then a key..."

"Well?"

"It's nasty. Uh, box, uh..."

"Give up?" Bilbo slightly taunted.

Gollum begged. "Give us a chance, Precious, give us a chance!" In frustration, he began pounding the floor and snarling. He puckered his face up deeply, then suddenly opened his eyes wide as he remembered the answer from his childhood.

"Eggses! Eggses" He cackled loudly. "What crunchy little eggses, yes. Grandmother taught us to suck them, yes."

As Gollum laughed, a bat made a noise in the darkness. Bilbo turned to look for the source of the noise; as he turned back around, the horrid creature was gone! Gollum's voice sounded like an echo from different parts of the cave. He spoke his riddle from some unknown spot.

"Ahh. We have one for you: It cannot be seen, cannot be felt, cannot be heard, cannot be smelt. It lies behind stars and under hills, and empty holes it fills. It comes first and follows after, ends life, kills laughter."

Instead of cowering in fear like he expected him to, Bilbo smiled and shook his head. "Oh, the clever girl." He whispered to himself, then shouted: "Darkness, it`s darkness!" A sharp hiss was his response.

Clearing his throat after remembering a riddle, he spoke louder. "A-alive without breath, as cold as death. Never thirsty, ever drinking, all in mail never clinking."

Gollum`s response was also instant. "Fish, fish! Little fishies, precious!" His laugh echoed throughout the cave.

Bilbo sighed, and tried to calm himself before Gollum`s riddle came. "All things it devours, birds, beasts, trees, flowers. Gnaws iron, bites steel, grinds hard stone to meal." This was when Bilbo was beginning to panic, but did an amazing job at hiding it all inside.

"Answer us," Gollum mocked.

Bilbo sauntered around the cave, always turning around. "Give me a moment, please! I gave you a good long while." He attempted to think while at the same time he treaded around with his sword drawn, looking for Gollum. "I don't know this one." He confessed.

"Is it tasty? Is it scrumptious?" The voice sang. "Is it crunchable?!" He asked, appearing behind the hobbit and slightly clenching his throat. At the contact, Bilbo jumped away and pointed his weapon at the creature.

"Let me think! Let me think." He walked further away from him in defeat.

A smile pulled in the corner of Gollum`s mouth. "It's stuck. Bagginses is stuck."

Bilbo paced back and forth next to the water, thinking. Gollum smiled eerily and put up his hands in a shrug. "Time's up." And he shifted, preparing to leap on Bilbo. In a moment of realization, Bilbo looked up. "Time. Ti-the answer is time."

Gollum`s face fell like a child`s and snarled in frustration.

"Actually, it wasn't that hard." Bilbo joked.

Eyes piercing at him, Gollum spoke. "Last question. Last chance."

"Ah, uh..."

"Ask us," Although he was smiling sweetly, Gollum hid a rock behind his back with which to hit Bilbo. "ASK US!" He roared.

Slightly jumping, Bilbo nodded. "Yes, yes, alright." He strolled to the edge of the lake to think, absentmindedly rubbing his pocket; he felt the ring. "What have I got in my pocket?" He mumbled to himself.

The creature`s face molded into anger and disgust. "That's not fair. It's not fair! It's against the rules!" In frustration, Gollum threw the rock he'd been clutching in Bilbo`s direction, and the hobbit scoffed.

"Ask us another one." Gollum whined,

Bilbo shook his head with a slight smile. "No, no, no, no. You said 'Ask me a question.' Well, that is my question. What have I got in my pocket?"

Gollum jumped off his rock and approached Bilbo; the hobbit moved to keep a rock between him and Gollum. "Three guesses, Precious. It must give us three." Gollum hissed, holding up two fingers to quantify three.

"Three guesses. Very well, guess away."

"Handses!" He instantly said.

Bilbo pulled his hand out of his pocket just in time. "Wrong, guess again."

Gollum crouched on the floor, trying to think of the answer. He muttered potential answers to himself and slapped the floor in increasing anger and ferocity as he failed horribly to come up with the right answer. "Fish-bones, goblins' teeth, wet shells, bat's wings ... Knife! Oh, shut up!"

"Wrong again. Last guess."

"String!" Gollum turned around and pointed "Or nothing."

Bilbo couldn't help but smile. "Two guesses at once; wrong both times."

Upon hearing this, the creature fell to the floor, sobbing.

"So, come then, I won the game, you promised to show me the way out." Bilbo said.

Gollum slowly turned around and glared hatefully at Bilbo. "Did we say so, precious? Did we say so? What _has_ it got in its pocketses?"

Bilbo pointed his sword at Gollum. "That's no concern of yours. You lost."

The monster cackled, and turned around. "Lost? Lost? Lost?" Gollum grinned as he slowly approached Bilbo. He reached for something hidden at his side; realizing that the item was not there, his face registered his shock. He searched all over himself to find the object. "Where is it? Where is it? No! Ahh! Where is it? No! No!"

He scuttled around the cave, scattering bones and rocks as he searched in vain. He even splashed through the shallows of the lake; his voice broke as he cried. "Lost! Curses and splashes, my precious is lost!"

While Gollum's back was toward him, Bilbo, realizing what it was that Gollum lost, quickly took the Ring from his pocket and held it in his hand behind his back. "What have you lost?" "Mustn't ask us! Not its business! No! Gollum, Gollum." He gagged. Gollum, leaning over the edge of the lake, sobbed quietly. As he stared into the water, his sobs ceased and his face was enveloped by anger. "What has it got in its nasty little pocketses?"

In fear, Bilbo clutched the Ring behind him more tightly and pointed his sword at Gollum. The creature slowly looked up in shock and anger. "He stole it." It came out as a whisper, but the next one, he roared. "He stole it!" He screamed in anger, and throwing a rock at Bilbo "HE STOLE IT!"

Bilbo deflected the rock with his sword, then sprinted away, with Gollum chasing him.

* * *

"Now, since I was rudely critiqued by the tiny child," The Great Goblin smirked devilishly at Liesel, who was biting her tongue not to show any signs of fear. "I think it is only fair for another song!" He shouted, causing a chorus of disgusting cheers from the goblins to erupt.

As the dwarves and young hobbit were being pushed and pulled to the torture machines the goblins created, the King Goblin was signing in a horrible, out of tuned voice. "Bones will be shattered, necks will be wrung! You'll be beaten and battered, from racks you'll be hung. You will lie down here and never be found, down in the deep of Goblin-town!"

Before he could continue with the song, a long screech came from one of the goblins who unsheathed Thorin`s sword. The blade, Orcist, was thrown onto the ground, causing many other goblins to look and trample each other in fear! As the Great Goblin saw it, her scattered back to his throne like a coward. "I know that sword! It is the Goblin-Cleaver, the Biter, the blade that sliced a thousand necks."

As he spoke, the rest of the goblins begin whipped the dwarves with ropes and leaped upon them, biting and slashing! Two smaller goblins took both of Liesel`s arms, and were playing a cruel game of tug of war as she didn't hesitate to scream at the top of her lungs.

Over her screaming, the Great Goblin shouted "Slash them! Beat them! Kill them! Kill them all! Cut off his head!" Goblins held Thorin down, and one of them pulled out his knife and prepared to behead Thorin!

Suddenly, there was a massive explosion of bright light. The explosion was so powerful, almost all sound was muted as a shockwave ripped through the area, flinging goblins in the air and destroying the torturing machines! Everyone was knocked onto the floor, including the Great Goblin. When the force of the explosion had passed, most of the lights in the area had been snuffed out; in front of them, a shadow with a tall pointy hat walked up. It was Gandalf, holding his staff and his sword. Light slowly returned to the area as the goblins and the company slowly looked up, recovering from the shock.

"Take up arms. Fight. Fight!" Gandalf yelled to them.

They quickly got up and began fighting the goblins. As goblins ran at Gandalf, he killed them with his sword and staff. The Great Goblin, still lying on the ground, saw Gandalf's sword and pointed at it, crying aloud to his goblins. "He wields the Foe-Hammer, the Beater, bright as daylight!"

Some of the dwarves luckily reached their pile of weapons and began tossing the weapons to each other; once they had something, they would turn around and kill the closets goblin. Oin managed to reclaim his hearing trumpet, although it has been quite flattened. Nori, while fighting, landed on the floor; the Great Goblin ran at him and swung his mace! "Nori!" a dwarf yelled.

Thorin jumped forward and deflected the Great Goblin's blow, causing the fat goblin to stumble backward and fall off the edge of his platform, falling to the depths below! The rest of the dwarves and Gandalf continued to fight.

In a flash, Liesel crawled to her blade that was just out of reach, as a large foot stomped onto her back! She was flat on the ground as the goblin pulled on her hair with all their might; her voice was hoarse, so she couldn't call for help. Instead, thinking quickly, she grabbed a nearby dagger, and stabbed aimlessly at the goblin above her. She rolled away once it screamed in agony; she stood up, and with no falter, stabbed the goblin`s head. The adrenaline traveling through her body made her sprint to her sword, and scoop it up off the ground as she heard Gandalf.

"Follow me. Quick! Run!" Cutting down the goblins around them, the company and Gandalf ran along a pathway leading away from the throne room. The company ran through the passageways of Goblin Town, while hundreds of goblins chased after them.

"Quickly!" "Faster!" "Keep going!" Were many things they shouted to each other.

They charged at the oncoming goblins and swept them away with the long rail. Dropping the rail, Dwalin pulled out his axes and begins knocking aside goblins. The rest of the company do the same. Several goblins snarl as they swung on ropes toward them!

"Cut the ropes!" Thorin yelled. The dwarves cut the ropes holding a raised platform in place; the platform fell outward, entangling the goblins swinging on the ropes!

In the chaos, Liesel managed to just barely see oncoming goblins approaching. She instantly rushed to Kili`s side as he deflected most of the arrows being shot. As she was also repelling the arrow, a nearby ladder caught her eye. "Hey!"

Kili looked to her, and noticed the ladder. They nodded to each other, then grabbed the ladder and dropped it on the oncoming goblins. Seeing their struggle, some of the other dwarves ran forward, pushing the ladder and the goblins it had trapped in front of them. As they approached a missing area of the path, the goblins fell down into the darkness; the ladder, however, acted as a bridge for the company to cross to the rest of the path. As soon as they crossed it, Dwalin broke the ladder, preventing the goblins chasing them from crossing it.

"Quickly!" Gandalf shouted, and they continued running through the maze-like paths; they went on a section of the path suspended by ropes from above. They sliced some ropes, and the pathway swung away from the rest of the path, approaching a different path.

"Jump!" Thorin commanded, and Several of the dwarves manage to jump to the other path; however, before the rest could, the path swung back to where it started, and several goblins leaped on! As the path swung back again, the rest of the dwarves, Liesel, and Gandalf managed to jump to the new path as well; they cut the ropes, causing the swinging path and the goblins on it to fall.

The company ran faster than they would ever on the journey, killing any goblin that came to close in their path. Soon, they approached a bridge between two walls of the cavern. As they tried to cross it, the Great Goblin broke through from underneath and pulled himself up onto the bridge, in front of them! As they pause in fear, hundreds of goblins approach them from all sides.

"You thought you could escape me?" The Great Goblin taunted, and swung his mace twice at Gandalf, causing the old man to stumble back and almost fall.

"What are you going to do now, wizard?" He asked.

To answer, Gandalf leaped forward and knocked the big goblin in the eye with his staff. The Great Goblin dropped his mace and clutched his face in pain. "Ow, ow, ow!" Gandalf stepped forward and sliced the Great Goblin in the belly! He fell to his knees, clutching his stomach.

"That'll do it."

With a smile, Gandalf again swung his sword and sliced the Great Goblin's neck, causing him to fall down dead!

The dead weight caused the bridge to start shaking; suddenly, the section of the bridge on which the company was standing on broke away from the rest of the bridge and started sliding down the side of the cavern! The bridge slid at a terrific speed down the cavern's wall, demolishing everything in its way; the company clung on, screaming in terror. The bridge slowed down, and landed at the base of the cavern, breaking apart and burying them in the timber and wood.

Gandalf got up from the pile of wreckage and inspected the rest of the dwarves, who were still stuck in the wreckage.

"Well, that could have been worse!" Bofur cheered.

The heavy corpse of the Great Goblin landed on the wreckage, squishing them further, and they cried out in pain. "You've got to be joking!"

A small whimper from under some of the wreckage caused Fili to dig away the garbage; it revealed to be little Liesel, holding herself in a ball, her eyes pouring down tears.

"Oh, Lise." Fili sighed, and reached out for her.

"It hurts," she slightly cried, shaking like a frightened child. He nodded, and grabbed her under the arms, gently pulling her out of the wreckage. As the rest of the dwarves do the same, Kili looked up; only to see thousands of goblins charging their way.

"Gandalf!" He screams, and pulls himself up.

"There's too many! We can't fight them." Dwalin gasped, helping another dwarf up.

"Only one thing will save us: daylight! Come on! Here, on your feet!" The dwarves got up quickly, helping each other out of the rubble, and they ran away, following Gandalf. There were a few times when Fili and other dwarves had to carry Liesel for a short while, but she persevered.

* * *

Bilbo hurried through a cave, fleeing from Gollum, whom he could hear in the distance.

"Give it to us!" The creature screamed to the hobbit.

Gasping, Bilbo turned around and tried to run through a crack in the wall. However, he was stuck partway through! He looked up in fear as Gollum, attracted by the noise, backtracked and saw Bilbo stuck in the crack.

Snarling, Gollum approached the hobbit. "It's ours. It's ours!"

Gollum snarled again; Bilbo exhaled and pushed as hard as he could. He thankfully managed to slip through the crack, with his waistcoat buttons ripping off in the process and they hit Gollum in the face.

On the other side of the crack, Bilbo fell down from his exertions. As he hit the ground, the Ring, which was in his hand, flew into the air. As it descended, Bilbo reached up to grab it; instead of landing in his hand, however, the Ring slid onto his finger, and Bilbo became invisible to the naked eye. Gollum jumped into the area where Bilbo was, growling, and looked around for him. However, since Bilbo was invisible, he didn't see him, and Gollum continued down the cave. "Thief! Baggins!"

Seeing Gollum run away, Bilbo slowly stood up in shock, and followed him.

Gollum jumped into another tunnel, a tunnel with an exit to the side of the mountain. Daylight was visible through the exit. "Wait, my Precious! Wait! Gollum, Gollum." He cried to no one.

Bilbo slowly approached; still unseen with the ring on, and his sword drawn. Hearing a noise, Gollum quickly hid behind a rock. As Bilbo watched Gandalf and the dwarves run by, Liesel being held by Balin, escaping through the exit. Bilbo, seeing his companions, gasped. The company and Gandalf ran down the side of the steep, tree-covered mountain. Gollum again entered the tunnel, looking for Bilbo and the Ring. Bilbo, still invisible, put his sword to Gollum's neck, then pulled back to swing the sword and cut off Gollum's head.

Before he could swing, Gollum turned around, looking down the passageway behind him. He couldn't see Bilbo, but Bilbo could see him. Again, Bilbo placed the tip of his sword at Gollum's throat, but he hesitated upon seeing Gollum's extreme sadness. Bilbo lowered his sword, pitying Gollum and remembering what Gandalf told him and Liesel: _"_ _True courage is about knowing not when to take a life, but when to spare one."_

Bilbo took a deep breath, and stepped back a few feet. Hearing Bilbo's feet, Gollum frowned and began to growl. Bilbo ran forward and leaped over Gollum, stepping on his head and knocking him over in the process. Still invisible, Bilbo sprinted out the exit. Gollum jumped up and scrabbled around him, trying to grab the invisible Bilbo, roaring all the while.

"Baggins! Thief! Curse it and crush it, we hates it forever!"

* * *

 **Okay, I am SO sorry that I haven't updated in like three months! Also, thank you once again for being so patient and reading this. So, we are getting close to the end of the first movie, and I have a few tricks up my sleeve in the future. I`m also hoping of starting "** _ **Back to the Future Part III"**_ **and finishing both "** _ **Sister Like Me**_ **" and "** _ **Try Me**_ **". But, it is almost impossible to update all of them, while juggling other fanfics on other sites, and high school. I know, not a good excuse, but I think I`ll have a few extra days off near the end of November! Keep being your beautiful selves!**


	14. I'm Not Afraid to Fly

The company and Gandalf raced down the mountain, all looking as if they would pass out the moment the stopped. Bilbo was following right behind them, but still with the ring on, making him unseen. Once they came to a clearing, Gandalf stopped, and counted the dwarves that ran past him.

"Five, six, seven, eight...Bifur, Bofur...that's ten...Fili, Kili...that's twelve...and Bombur - that makes thirteen. Where's Bilbo and Liesel?" He asked looking around.

"I got her right here." Balin sighed, then sat the little girl on the ground. She struggled, but she managed to stand up, with of course Balin helping her.

Gandalf nodded. "Then where is Bilbo?" No response came as the dwarves looked from side to side. "Where is our hobbit?!" Gandalf yelled.

"Curse the halfling! Now he's lost?!" Dwalin hissed in frustration.

"I thought he was with Dori!" Gloin pointed to him.

"Don't blame me!" Dori glared.

Gandalf instantly walked towards him. "Well, where did you last see him?"

All eyes soon turned to Nori. "I think I saw him slip away, when they first collared us."

"What happened exactly? Tell me!"

Bilbo, still invisible, had finally caught up to the rest of the group. He almost slipped ring off his finger, until he heard Thorin`s barking voice; he hid behind a tree.

"I'll tell you what happened. Master Baggins saw his chance and he took it! He's thought of nothing but his soft bed and his warm hearth since first he stepped out of his door! We will not be seeing our Hobbit again. He is long gone."

A sudden sense of braver clicked inside of Liesel, and she took it. "No," she growled lowly. The dwarves` turned to look at the young girl, who was holding herself tall, and standing directly in front of the dwarf king.

"What did you just say, girl?" Thorin hissed, towering over her.

She swallowed, her courage quickly leaving. "We must have left him behind,"

"Then it is not our fault for it, he knew of the risks that this journey would bring." He said.

A small gasp came from the girl, and her eyes darkened. "You are the most spineless dwarf I have ever met!"

It was an understatement that all of the company was in slight shock at the girls' sudden courage to stand up to Thorin. The dwarf king scowled at the little girl and moved closer, almost daring her to say it again.

"If it weren`t for the goblin`s slip up, then you halflings would be on your merry way home. Tell me child, which is more cowardly?" He taunted.

Bilbo heard ever word the company said; from Liesel defending his honor, to Thorin mocking him and the child. He leaned on the tree as he pondered everything he just heard. The dwarves looked at each other, and Liesel faltered greatly.

"No, he isn't."

The company immediately look to the tree where the voice came, and Bilbo Baggins came out from behind it. Chuckles of surprise echoed through the hills.

"Bilbo Baggins! I've never been so glad to see anyone in my life!" Gandalf grinned.

The hobbit approached his companions, patting Balin on the shoulder affectionately, and resting his hand on the top of Liesel`s head for a split moment.

"Bilbo, we'd given you up!" Kili laughed in shock.

"How on earth did you get past the Goblins?!" Fili asked in pure wonder.

"How indeed." Dwalin sighed.

Bilbo mind rushed of what to say, giving a nervous laugh and putting his hands on his hips. Gandalf noticed Bilbo sliding the Ring into his waistcoat pocket. He plastered on a smile. "Well, what does it matter? He's back!"

"It matters," Thorin ignored Gandalf, and looked to Bilbo. "I want to know: why _did_ you come back?"

Bilbo looked at the ground, then back at the company. "Look, I know you doubt me, I know you always have. And you're right, I often think of Bag End. I miss my books. And my armchair. And my garden. See, that's where I belong. That's home. And that's why I came back, because you don't have one. A home, it was taken from you. But I will help you take it back if I can."

There was a slight silence, all of the dwarves taking in what the elder hobbit just told them. Bilbo looked at Gandalf and Liesel; they were both smiling, extremely proud of him.

An ear piercing howl echoed through all of the company`s ears.

"Out of the frying pan..." Thorin whispered.

"...and into the fire!" Gandalf finished. "Run," He looked down to Liesel, who was staring at him in fear. "RUN!" He shouted to her. They all started running down the mountain as fast as their legs could go. The Wargs followed them rapidly, the sun starting to set.

One of the Wargs caught up to the group and leaps at Bilbo and Liesel! They both duck behind a rock, as the Warg landed in front of them. Bilbo pulled the fearful child behind him, trying to make himself taller as the monster growled at them.

Without warning, it charged towards them! Liesel screamed as Bilbo pulled out his sword and held it in front of him; the charging warg impaled itself in the head on the sword, and fell down dead! Bilbo and Liesel stared at the dead creature in disbelief. The rest of the dwarves were in chaos as wargs did manage to catch up, but were instantly killed.

The Company reached a large outcropping of land with a few trees growing on it; they are trapped, a cliff was directly behind the trees.

"Up into the trees, all of you! Come on, climb! Liesel, Bilbo, climb!" Gandalf spat rapidly, pointing at the two hobbits.

Bifur throws an axe, killing a Warg which was approaching him. Bofur jumps off a rock and grabs a tree branch, using Dwalin's head as a stepping stone to the tree. Other dwarves begin climbing into the trees as well. While running, Bilbo tried to pull his sword out of the warg`s head, but it was stuck! He continued to pull with all his might, and Liesel came up behind him to help.

"They're coming!" Thorin shouted.

Bilbo looked back to Liesel. "Go, go now!" He lightly pushed her off.

She ignored him. "I`m not leaving you here!"

He groaned, and pushed her again. With a huff, she sprinted to the trees. Gandalf climbed to the top of the furthest tree, and Dwalin helped Balin up. Thorin, Bombur, and the rest climbed up trees too.

Bilbo finally managed to pull his sword out of the Warg; he looked up to see several more Wargs running at him! The hobbit snapped his head around to see only Liesel on the ground, struggling to climb. Quickly, he ran behind her, grabbed her waist, and hoisted her up high.

She let out a small scream, but relaxed when she realized it was Bilbo. Together, the two hobbits helped each other climb the branches until there was nothing else to climb.

Dozens of Wargs circled the trees where the Company was. Gandalf turned to find a moth on a branch near him. He reached out with his staff and picked up the moth up. Bringing the moth close to his face, he whispered to it; he blew on it gently, causing it to flutter away. The Wargs ceased their growling and turned as the White Warg, with Azog on its back, approached slowly. The dwarf king`s face fell.

"Azog?!" He whispered in shock.

As the warg growled, Azog stroked it, and spoke in his own language. _"_ _Do you smell it? The scent of fear?I remember your father reeked of it, Thorin son of Thrain."_

Thorin shook his head in pain and grief. "It cannot be."

The horrid orc turned to his companions, and pointed at Thorin. _"_ _That one is mine. Kill the others!"_

At his command, the Wargs leaped forward and clawed up the trees. They jumped as high as they could, scrabbling at the tree trunks and breaking apart branches in their jaws in their efforts. The trees shook violently, and the entire company struggled to hold on.

" _Drink their blood!"_ Azog commanded.

Liesel could only remember two things; Bilbo clutching her hand so tight she soon lost all feeling, and the trees falling down like dominoes as they landed on the final tree at the edge of the cliff.

Looking around in desperation, Gandalf spotted a pinecone. He took it and held it to the top of his staff; the pinecone lit on fire! He threw it down amid the Wargs, who retreated in fear. Azog`s eyes grew, but quickly shrunk in anger. After lighting more pinecones, Gandalf threw two down. "Fili!"

Fili caught the flaming pinecone. The company quickly gathered more pinecones, and Gandalf set them on fire. All sixteen members of the Company threw them at the wargs like missiles; Liesel still believed that she saw one caught on fire. The ground around the tree blazed with light, and Azog roared in anger as the wargs retreated. The company rejoiced in victory.

Their cheers soon turned into cries of fear, as the roots of the tree gave away! It tipped over the edge, but stopped as the tree was flat. Gandalf looked down and saw the ground far, far, below. The dwarves tried to hold on as they were being flung around. Ori lost his grip on the tree and fell, but thankfully managed to grab Dori`s leg!

"Mister Gandalf!" Dori shouted. Because of the extra weight, he lost his grip on the tree and fell! Thankfully, Gandalf swung his staff down in time, and Dori caught it.

"Hold on, Ori!" He yelled down to his companion.

The poor girl could only stare down into the foggy abyss below her, eyes growing bigger than plates. She closed her gaping mouth, and bit her tongue until she could barely taste blood.

Azog growled; Thorin, clinging to the tree, looked at him with nothing but hate in his glare. He pulled himself up, his sword drawn, and walked down the leaning trunk as Bilbo and Liesel from the hanging tree could only look on. Thorin ran through the burning ground at Azog and his White Warg. The devilish orc spreaded his arms wide with an arrogant grin on his face. Thorin yelled as he ran with his sword up and his oaken branch shield held in front of him. Azog crouched, then roared as his Warg leaped at Thorin. Thorin tried to swing his sword, but the Warg hit him in the chest with its front paw, smashing Thorin to the ground! The others from the tree could only helplessly look on in shock, unable to do anything.

"Help!" Ori cried again, struggling to hold on.

As Thorin stood back on his feet, panting, Azog and his White Warg wheeled around, charging at him again. Azog swung his mace into Throin`s head, and the dwarf collapsed.

"No!" Balin and many other dwarfs shouted.

Watching in horror, Liesel did not notice when Bilbo pulled himself up to stand on the tree trunk.

The White Warg clamped its jaws around Thorin and he yelled in agony.

"Thorin, no!" Dwalin screamed, and tried to crawl off the tree. The branch supporting him broke, and he caught himself. There was nothing they could do.

As he was held in the mouth, Thorin managed to hit the warg`s head with the pommel of his sword. Roaring, the White Warg threw Thorin several feet away onto a flat rock nearby. Thorin landed heavily, his sword falling out of his hand.

Looking over to a rider, Azog spoke. _"Bring me the Dwarf's head."_

The rider jumped off his warg, and approached Thorin. Bilbo, seeing this, pulled out his own sword, and it glowed blue. He looked down at Liesel`s pale face; he quickly knelt down to her height. "Do not follow me," he whispered strictly. She wanted to yell and scream at him for leaving her all alone.

But she shakily nodded her head.

The orc approached Thorin and placed its sword against his neck. As Throin struggled to pick up his sword to fight, the orc raised his blade again. As his sword swung down, Bilbo threw himself at the orc and knocked him over! Bilbo manages to stab and kill the orc as they fought. Azog growled in fury, and Thorin lost all conscious. Pulling his sword out of the dead orc's body, Bilbo stood in front of the unconscious Thorin and protected his body. He waved his sword wildly at Azog and the other Wargs. The orc grinned in hatred and spoke. _"Kill him!"_

The orcs closed off around Bilbo, who stared at them in the eye, unafraid. He could only make out Liesel`s ear-piercing shriek as dwarfs from the trees attacked the orcs! In a blur, Bilbo stabbed a warg in the head, and sent the orc him flying! Liesel continued to slash and stab at any creature that came close to her or any of the dwarves.

As the fighting around them continued, the elder hobbit ran into a head that belonged to the whit warg. The warg pushed the hobbit onto the ground, and Bilbo tried his best to crawl away. Orcs begun to surround the dwarves completely, all who were quickly becoming fatigued. Bilbo stared at the warg and orc in front of him; he swore he saw a smile pull onto Azog`s mouth as he approached him.

The girl didn`t remember if she shouted a loud "No!" at Azog, or screamed at the top of her lungs, but Liesel knew she assailed the white warg, and blinded its left eyes. In a panic, the monster roared loudly at her, and scratched her left arm, causing Liesel to fall to the ground in a gasp, clutching her wounded arm.

Snarling, Azog told the creature to be still, and dismounted his steed. The girl`s stroke of courage shattered, as she was on her stomach, and tried her best to crawl on all fours. A foot pressed onto her back forced her to the ground, and she hissed in pain. Azog smirked at the struggling girl below him, and he crouched down, stroking her cheek lightly; she couldn't help but let out a small cry in terror.

With a final push on her back, he lifted his foot off of her, grabbed her shoulder, turned her over, and clutched her neck violently. His eyes lit up, and a large, eerie grin pulled onto his face as he heard her small gasps for air. He raised his blade for a hand to strike her-.

He yelled in pain as a sudden sting came to his hand that held Liesel; there was Bilbo, no longer any fear on his face to save Liesel. The orc let go of the girl to clutch his arm, and she gasped deeply, letting in all air.

Quickly, Bilbo latched his arms around her waist, and pulled her up as she continued to cough violently. Once regaining herself, she looked at the ground, and snatched her up her blade, putting it back in its sheath.

Bilbo stood in front of her, and she subconsciously gripped his hand in fear as Azog stood himself up, and marched towards them menacingly. As the two walked backwards away from him, they were not aware of the ledge until Liesel screamed and began to fall, taking Bilbo with her! He managed to grab onto a hanging branch in time, and still held tightly onto Liesel. The poor girl was beginning to hyperventilate.

"Liesel, Liesel, don`t-don`t look down. Look at me." He rushed, trying his best to calm her.

Nothing worked as her cries became louder, and the hobbit looked back up; there was Azog, the same smirk on his face as he came closer to them. And closer, and closer.

Bilbo looked back down to the tear strained girl. "Liesel," he sighed, and continued. "close your eyes."

Her mouth quivered. "Why?"

Bilbo shook his head, took in a deep breath, and his fingers started to slip from the branch.

His eyes shot open when he heard the cries of Dori and Ori come from below them! The two halflings stared down in horror as their companions fell; but were caught! An eagle had flown just under the dwarfs and caught them!

Liesel whipped her head around to see several more eagles appear and join the fray! Some grabbed Wargs and Orcs, tossing them over the cliff. Others knocked down trees, crushing the Wargs below them. Because of the destruction, Azog growled in anger, and looked back down at the helpless Bilbo and Liesel. He reached towards them.

"Let go!" Liesel`s hoarse voice screamed at Bilbo.

Without a second thought, Bilbo let go of the branch the second she finished. Both of their screams were heard, but soon silenced as an Eagle caught them from the fall!

Back on the cliff, one eagle gently grabbed Thorin and his sword in its talons and flew away. As he was lifted off the ground, his oaken branch shield slipped off his arm. Azog and the orcs roared in fury as the rest of the Eagles proceeded to snatch the dwarves out of the tree and fly away. When only Gandalf was left in the tree, the roots gave way and the tree fell off the edge of the cliff! Gandalf leaped clear of it and was caught by another eagle. As they flew away with all the Company, Azog and the few Warg Riders were left, screaming and roaring in defeat.

* * *

"There there, nothing will hurt you. It`s all over, Liesel. They`re gone for now." Bilbo tried his best, once again, to soothe the young girl. Except this time, she clung to him for the rest of the night, and refused to let him go for a second.

"I don`t want to die." She slightly sobbed, still hugging him tightly.

He sighed, and continued to hold her. "You`re not going to die, I`ll make sure of it."

She nodded slightly, and soon fell asleep on him; again. He carefully pulled her off of him, and laid her down onto her back. He looked at the scratch on her left arm; he needed to ask Gandalf if that would scar. He hoped not.

The Eagles soared through the sky over a great distance and over many landscapes. Thorin still lied unconscious in the eagles talons; almost unmoving

"Thorin!" Fili shouted to his uncle, hoping to wake him up.

The Eagles soon approached a massive rock structure; this was the Carrock. The Eagle carrying Thorin gently laid him and his sword on a flat area on top of the rock. Another Eagle landed, and Gandalf slid off its neck, running toward the unconscious Thorin. "Thorin! Thorin." He cried out.

Thorin was not responding. Bilbo hopped off the eagle, while helping Liesel stand, and the two ran to him. Gandalf placed his hand on Thorin's face, and whispered something quietly. Thorin's eyes fluttered open and he gasped for air. "The halflings?" He asked, weakly.

Gandalf smiled. "It's all right. They are here, and they`re quite safe."

By now, the other dwarves landed on the Carrock, and they surrounded the wounded Thorin. Dwalin and Kili helped Thorin up. However, once he was up, he shrugged them off and approached Bilbo and Liesel.

"You!" He hissed at Bilbo, and the elder hobbit`s face slightly fell. "What were you doing? You nearly got yourself killed! And you," He turned his head towards Liesel, and she hopped back as he came closer. "No one had ever asked for you to join our company, and after what you must have done, I cannot say I would disagree. I Did I not say that you would be burdens? That you would not survive in the wild and that you had no place amongst us?"

Thorin advanced until he was face to face with the halflings, who both equally looked terrified. "I've never been so wrong in all my life!"

Thorin grabbed Bilbo and Liesel, embracing them deeply. The other dwarves cheered loudly and slapped each other on the back. The two hobbits, both exasperated, hugged Thorin.

Thorin pulled away. "I am sorry I doubted you."

Bilbo shook his head, and talked quickly. "No, I would have doubted me too. I'm not a hero or a warrior...not even a burglar."

"Neither am I," Liesel whispered.

As everyone chuckled, the Eagles flew away screeching. Thorin looked beyond Bilbo and saw something. The dwarf kind strode forward, and everyone followed his gaze.

"Is that what I think it is?" Liesel asked. In the distance, on the horizon, was the outline of a single, solitary mountain.

"Erebor—The Lonely Mountain." Gandalf stated to the child. "The last of the great dwarf kingdoms of Middle-earth."

"Our home." Thorin grinned A bird chirped, and flew by.

"A raven!" Oin gasped. "The birds are returning to the mountain."

"That, my dear Oin, is a thrush." Gandalf said.

Thorin looked to his companions. "But we'll take it as a sign - a good omen."

Bilbo nodded. "You're right. I do believe the worst is behind us."

The Company smiled, and stood on the rock formation for just a little longer, watching the mountain as the sun came up behind them. Liesel was the one to bring all of them back to reality.

"Gandalf?" She asked to the tall wizard. "How in the world are we going to get down?"

* * *

 **END OF ACT 1.**

 **Alright then, there we have the first out of three movies; and it only took me a little over a year. Anywho, since I have many other stories not just on here, but also on Wattpad, it is not for certain when I will make the next chapter. I just want to simply thank every single person who was patient, and supportive for this story. Well, until next time, lovely people!**


	15. Unsafe

"Shouldn't he have been back by now?" The little girl asked, wringing her hands anxiously. It has only been a month, or maybe two, since the company had begun their journey. In that time, Liesel Hayward developed multiple habits out of nervousness; holding herself to become small, combing her fingers through her hair roughly, wringing her hands, the list goes on.

Kili shook his head as he braided her hair. "Lise, mister Boggins has only been gone for a short while."

"How long has a short while been?" She rushed her words, now squeezing her hands and trembling, staring into her lap.

Sighing, the dwarf tied her hair as he finished braiding it and walked in front of her. He crouched down to her height, and rested his hand on her arm, comfortingly. "It hasn't been long, trust me. Besides, Bilbo has grown braver in such a short time it is astounding. You have grown, too." He moved a piece of stray hair behind her ear.

The girl looked up, slightly surprised by the comforting touch and words. "Are you certain?"

"I am more than certain. You have grown in many ways day after day," he grinned. "everything but height."

Liesel pretended to scowl at him, but soon lost it as his eyes lit up and covered his mouth to smother his laughter. A shuffling of rocks quickly silenced the two, and the dwarf clutched Liesel's arm to drag her behind him.

"How close is the pack?" Dwalin questioned in a raspy voice.

The figure panted. "Too close. A couple of leagues, no more, but that is not the worst of it." Realizing it was Bilbo, Liesel let out a sigh of relief, finally allowing herself to relax.

"Have the Wargs picked up our scent?"

Bilbo leaned down, trying to catch his breath. "Not yet, but they will; we have another problem."

"Did they see you?" Gandalf asked, almost as if he was frightened.

"What?" Bilbo questioned, obviously out of it.

Gandalf's face fell. "They saw you!"

"No, that's not it." The hobbit shook his head.

The wizard chuckled, then turned to the dwarves and small child. "What did I tell you? Quiet as a mouse. Excellent burglar material."

The dwarves chuckled loudly in appreciation of Bilbo. Liesel felt something shove her arm, and she turned around to reveal it was Fili.

"And you thought he couldn't take care of himself." He teased, and the girl rolled her eyes in response.

The elder hobbit's mouth dropped at their lack of concentration. "Will you listen- Will you just listen?!" He rose his voice, gathering the others attention. "I'm trying to tell you there is _something else_ out there."

He pointed toward the direction he had just come from, and the company turned to each other in worriedness. The little girl especially wore a face covered in fear; gratefully, she realized the facial she was making, and calmed herself almost immediately.

"What form did it take? Like a bear?" Gandalf asked, hesitantly.

"Ye-," Bilbo pause as he rested a hand on Liesel, in an attempt to comfort her. He looked at Gandalf curiously. "Y- yes. But bigger, much bigger."

All of them traded glances with each other, having no idea what to day or do. Until, Bofur finally spoke up. "You knew about this beast?"

Gandalf didn't respond, and turned to walk a few steps away from the company to think.

The miner swallowed. "I say we double back."

Thorin scoffed before speaking. "And be run down by a pack of Orcs?"

"There is a house," Gandalf spoke, and they looked to him. He turned around to face them, and walked forward. "it's not far from here, where we might take refuge."

"Whose house?" Thorin grumbled. "Are they friend or foe?"

Gandalf stayed silent for a few moments. "Neither. He will help us," He swallowed, preparing for their resistance. "or he will kill us."

The company looked at each other in dismay, and uneasiness. Liesel stared at Bilbo with almost a face saying 'Please, I don't want to'. In complete surprise, she spoke up. "Is-is there another choice?"

As soon the child asked the wizard, a deep roar split through the night behind them, and all of the company cowered at the noise; it was, indeed, a bear.

"No,"

Everything was almost a blur for Liesel; one moment, she felt Bilbo clutch her hand and told her to not let go of him. The next, she let out a sharp gasp as her face collided with the ground.

"Get up, halfling!" A dwarf, she couldn't recognize at the time, pulled her off the grass and shoved her into someone's arms. Soon, her eyes adjusted, and she saw themselves in a field of flowers, and Bilbo Baggins grasping her arm so tightly, she hissed in pain at his grip.

"Come on!" Gandalf yelled from up ahead, and waved at the company behind him, signaling for them to catch up. As the company sprinted into the forest, they could practically almost hear the breaths of the wargs and orcs in their ears, prompting them to sprint until a roar was heard from nearby. They stopped in their tracks.

"This way, quickly!" Gandalf urged them on. As the dwarves and two hobbits panicked and ran, Bombur looked on in shock.

"Bombur, come on!" Bofur yelled at his friend, grabbing the dwarf's red beard and pulling him along with them to continue running.

The company leaped over logs and scaled rocks as they were sprinting out of the forest. That is, until Liesel Hayward ripped her hand away from Bilbo, and collapsed onto the rock hard ground after she hopped off a stone figure the group had just scaled.

"Liesel!" Bilbo called her as she tried to pull herself up from the ground. The girl gasped as she felt immense pain in her left leg. She turned to only see foot stuck in a hole, being squeezed by two rocks.

The girl turned back to the elder hobbit, Ori, and Bombur. "Go! I'll catch up with you."

Without a response, Bilbo marched forward, and grabbed her leg, trying to wiggle it out of the hole. Ori soon joined, and gently grabbed the girl's hands and began pulling; that only resulted in her shrieking and begging them to stop.

Once she caught her breath, Liesel gazed up at them. "Go," she hissed.

"We're not leaving you here!" Ori scolded, and continued to try and help her foot squeeze through the rocks; even if the little girl pushed him off her.

"I'll stay with her," Bilbo interjected, nodding at the other two to run.

Another howl was heard, this time, it was closer. She turned to him. "They're coming."

"I know," he hissed at her, and kneeled down to help her.

Ori shook his head. "We can't just leave you two like-."

"Get out!" She screamed, causing all three to almost jump a foot in the air. Their shock from her shriek was lost as they heard the howl coming closer.

They all looked to the child laying flat on the ground. _"Now,"_ she hissed.

With only a look of regret, the three knew deep down it was hopeless to try and free her; like that, they tore away from the girl and ran, not looking back once.

As the three exited the forest, the could barely make out the rest of the company approaching a house surrounded by a hedge in the middle of the plain.

"To the house! Run!" Bilbo could barely hear Gandalf call out in front of them. The Company ran across the plain; Bombur, the fattest dwarf, outran all the rest of them in his fear.

A gut-wrenching scream echoed through the hills, and in Bilbo's ears. He, and many others, turned at the sound and stopped in their tracks; Liesel Hayward was gone.

"Come on, get inside!" Gandalf forced them on. They crashed into the tall doors as they finally made it to the entrance of the house.

Bombur, who reached the door first, threw himself against it but fell flat on his back when the door didn't budge. The rest of the dwarves caught up and begin throwing themselves against the door, trying to open it. Gandalf looked back as a massive bear broke out from the edge of the forest, barreling towards them.

"Open the door!" Gandalf marched towards them in haste.

"Quickly!" Thorin echoed, pushing through the dwarves pressing himself against the door. Soon, he managed raise the exterior bolt, opening the doors. The entire company bolted inside the house and try to slam the door shut, but the bear had already gotten its head in the door! As the bear roared with fury, and tried to push the door open, the dwarves yelled and strained to close it. On impulse, Bilbo pulled out his sword and unsteadily pointed it at the bear, trying to show himself as a threat. Gandalf looked on in apparent amusement, as the dwarves yelled pressing against the door.

"Come on, lads!" Dwalin shouted in agitation. With a final heave, the dwarves managed to close the door and drop the bolt across it. When they knew for sure it was secure, they panted and looked on in fear, shock, and anger.

"What _is_ that?" Ori turned to Gandalf, questioning him.

Gandalf paused, "That is our host."

One by one, the dwarves and Bilbo turned to stare at the wizard in bewilderment. "His name is Beorn, and he is a skin-changer." Gandalf began explaining, glancing around the house. Oin checked his hearing trumpet to make sure he had heard Gandalf correctly.

The wizard continued. "Sometimes he's a huge black bear; sometimes he's a great strong man. The bear is unpredictable, but the man can be reasoned with. However, he is not over fond of dwarves."

The dwarves looked at each other in dismay. Ori peaked out a crack in the door, becoming curious. "He's leaving!"

In a huff, Dori pulled the young dwarf away from the door. "Come away from there! It's not natural, none of it. It's obvious: he's under some dark spell."

"Don't be a fool; he's under no enchantment but his own." He scolded the dwarves, then took off his own hat. "Alright now, get some sleep, all of you. You'll be safe here tonight."

After Gandalf's, somewhat, reassuring comment, most of the company scattered to find a spot to rest.

"That scream," Kili spoke up after a few moment. "Where is Liesel?"

The company fell into silence at the mention of the little girl. It was true, not many of them knew what on earth happened to her; all except three of them.

Gandalf looked around at the dwarves. "Would anyone like to come forward, and give information on what happened to miss Hayward?"

All glanced at each other from side to side, not knowing who Gandalf was meaning. Bilbo, for one, stayed silent and only made eye contact with the ground. He tugged at the hem of his shirt coat anxiously, and felt his palms begin to sweat. Yet, the look of remorse never plagued his face.

Swallowing, Ori stepped forward, and faced everyone before speaking. "We-we tried to help her, but-but she didn't want it."

"What are you saying?" Dwalin spat.

The young dwarf shuttered in his boots. "Lie-Liesel, her leg was stuck between rocks. She-she wanted us to leave, but we tried to help her."

"Who is we, my dear Ori?" Gandalf asked, patiently.

He let out a shaky breath. "M-me, Bombur, and Mr. Bilbo."

The hobbit's eyes flashed open at the mention of his name, and he did not have to look up to even know the stunned stares on all of the company. Bombur and Ori tried there best to avoid the glances in shame.

"You," Kili breathed out in denial. "you left her?"

No one said a word as they continued to scowl at the two dwarves and hobbit responsible. Bombur and Ori gently nodded, avoiding eye-contact; but, Bilbo remained stoic.

"Coward,"

All eyes turned to the dwarf king who uttered the word with disgust. The brooding dwarf pushed past a few others, and marched his way to Bilbo. It could have only been Thorin to make the hobbit shrink in size.

"You left that child to die alone," he growled. "Weak."

Bilbo didn't respond as Thorin went on; how could he? He knew for a fact that he deserved every word and insult that the dwarf king spat at him.

" _Coward,"_

" _Pathetic,"_

" _Weak,"_

The tears stung his eyes as they tried to escape. He knew that if he even uttered one word about her, they would for sure flow.

"Thorin, that is enough." Gandalf intervened, brining Bilbo out of his thoughts. The hobbit finally looked up and felt something slipping down his cheek. Brining a hand to it, he realized it was an unmistakable tear; he only shed one tear for the small girl that he had promised himself he would protect and bring home.

A timid knock on the door made all heads turn.

The company stared at the door in disbelief. The closest to the door, being Bofur, treaded his way to it in hesitance. The knocking on the other side soon became much more desperate, and the dwarf rushed to open the door.

Once he pulled it open, his face instantly fell at the sight in front of him. "By Durin's beard-."

Liesel collapsed onto the ground outside of Beorn's house, and the company of Thorin Okenshield rushed out, taking in the sight of her weak form, and questioning: How did she defy what they thought was the impossible?

* * *

 _Liesel winced in pain as she tried to pull her foot out of the hole again. And again, she breathed heavily and gave up from the pain. She wondered, in that split second, if she should have given up all together._

 _It was the warg and orc charging up from behind her that changed her mind._

 _The girl let out small gasps and cries as the monsters came up to her, repeatedly clawing at her face when it was visible. The poor girl let out the loudest of screams when the orc bashed her nose with the bottom of its axe, and he sat there, laughing at her cry._

 _It must have been the shock, or the terror, that made her remember the sword packed safely in her sheath._

 _Grinding her teeth in spite, she pulled out her sword, and stabbed her blade through the throat of the warg. The girl hissed in disgust at the blood dripping into her hair, and the crying of the beast as she pulled the sword out._

 _The monster fell limp onto the girl, and the rider roared at her. As he was about to the strike the vulnerable girl, a great force knocked the orc off of his feet, and sended him into the trunk of a tree._

 _Pushing the beast off of her, the younger hobbit glanced up for a mere second, before covering her head with her arms, and shoving herself back onto the ground._

 _The beast that had saved her, was a bear larger than she had ever seen or read of. It was the bear that Bilbo had been speaking of, it must have been!_

 _She tried her hardest not to wince at the unpleasant sounds coming from the orc that the beast was slaughtering. There was no noise besides the bear's heavy panting. Thankfully, the bear charged away from her, and the girl pushed herself up. Turning back to her foot, she was astounded to see it completely free._

 _In the chaos, she must have not noticed it slipping free._

 _Liesel stood herself completely up and leaned against the rock to gather her balance. She touched her nose, then pulled it back in a rush as she hissed through her teeth. Her fingers were covered in blood, and she only then felt liquid running from her nose uncontrollably._

 _The young hobbit looked at her hand in numbness and tried her hardest to ignore the sheer pain in her nose that was no doubt broken. She forced herself to walk, wincing all the way. It felt like almost every other minute she had to lean against a tree to catch her breath and rest her left foot, completely covered in scratches from attempting to escape the rock._

 _Liesel was at the edge of the woods as she breathed a sigh of relief, and a smile played on her face as she stepped into the field to find the company. The girl was practically laughing out of sheer joy from finding the house that Gandalf told her._

 _Her eyes and smile fell as her gaze soon landed on the same enormous bear that, yes, saved her life; but as she watched it bang on the doors like its life depended on it, the girl's fear only grew by the second. Yet, she knew for certain the company of Thorin Okenshield were in that house._

 _Thinking on her feet, Liesel limped her way back into the edge of the forest, raised her sword, and banged it against a nearby rock. As she had done this, her heart leapt into her throat as she realized the doors were closed on the bear; there was no need to have done any of this!_

 _Still, instead of rushing towards the girl, the bear snarled at her, and begun slowly stalking her._

 _Attempting to keep her nerves down, Liesel clutched her sword tightly, but backed up into the forest one step at a time. When she believed the beat could no longer see her, she ran as far and as best as she could._

 _Her leg cried in pain the more she put pressure onto it as she raced away from the bear. She would be lying if there weren't times she wanted to lie down to rest, even if it resulted in her dying. Yet, she pushed on, and luck shined down upon her as she jumped behind a tree, and out of the bear's sight._

 _There was no temptation to even dare to peek out from behind the tree to see if it was still there; she knew. The poor girl could hear and feel its breath in her ear as it came closer to the tree she hid behind. In an instant, she slapped her hand over her mouth._

" _Don't breathe." She remembered Fili whispered to her as the orcs came close to them that horrid night when….._

 _Her thoughts were interrupted as a shriek belonging to a warg echoed through her ears. The bear behind her responded it its own roar, and dashed away from her. When she knew it was gone, she took her hand off her mouth, and stepped out._

 _Not wanting to waste anymore time, Liesel limped her way out of the forest, and back into the field where the house was now safe to enter. Walking to the front of the doors, she could hear the unmistakable voice of Thorin._

" _Coward. You are nothing but a coward." He spat at someone. "Wasn't it a week ago that I told you and the little one that you had my trust? Was it pathetic of me to let a halfling like you have that privilege? You are weak."_

" _Thorin, that is enough." She heard Gandalf intervene._

 _After a short while of unknown hesitance, Liesel knocked on the door, hoping it was loud enough. No one answered for a bit, and her fear increased every time she knocked again, and again, and again._

 _The opening of the door, and the glimpse of Bofur's gentle face put the child at ease in an instant. She felt the fear and stress fall off her chest, as she finally let herself fall onto the ground, and not wake up._

* * *

 **Guess who's back? Heck yeah, it's me! The girl who's been on hiatus for almost half a year because of high school and Wattpad. Oh, aren't I just your favorite person? Anyway, I am officially back, and I will be updating my** _ **Star Wars**_ **and** _ **Hobbit**_ **fanfic, but I do not know for sure when I will be back on my** _ **Back to the Future**_ **one.**

 **I also forgot to mention, that if you hadn't already noticed, the titles are song lyrics, or titles of a song. Yes, I have done this on purpose, for a fun game. Every time an Act (movie) ends, I would like for you guys to comment on what you think the songs are in order of the chapter's titles. Yes, I know a few are from different songs, but I might count them anyway. Because I forgot to mention this "game" at the end of last chapter, I will begin it, but do not count this chapter as one for the first movie. Your prize? You may ask, will be a shoutout. Good luck to all of you!**

 **Also, thank you guys SO much for sticking with this fanfic!**


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